More than 100 public sector nurses and midwives at Gosford Hospital stopped work for an hour on Monday, August 26, as the state’s nurses ramp up their fight for a 15 per cent pay increase.
They were among NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) members from 100 hospitals and health facilities statewide who walked off the job this week to demand respect from the government and call on the Treasurer to pay nurses and midwives what they deserve.
A stop work will be held at Wyong Hospital on Wednesday, August 28, and at Woy Woy on Thursday, August 29.
NSWNMA Wyong Hospital Branch President Kelly Falconer said the stop works would allow members to vote on and discuss further actions to get the State Government to listen.
“The nurses and midwives are exhausted and experiencing burn-out at an alarming rate,” she said.
“(They are suffering from) poor morale, injury and ongoing psychosocial hazards from continually working short staffed with increased demands of the job and higher acuity patients.”
Falconer said in the past three weeks 625 nursing shifts at Gosford and Wyong hospitals were unfilled due to nurse shortages.
“A medical ward at Gosford has seen five senior staff resign in the past week due to recent pressures of short staffing,” she said.
“New graduates are being paid 17 per cent less than Queensland nurses.
“Why would nurses want to stay in a job that is not valued by its government, underpaid, under-resourced?
“(These are) the very staff that were called the heroes and the backbone of health during COVID.
“Safe staffing is nowhere to be seen and is a long way off on the Central Coast.
“Our nurses and midwives are demanding better – better for our patients and better for our profession.”
NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish said after more than 10 negotiation meetings with the government, there had been no progress on the union’s pay claim.
“The State Government needs to know we are serious and we are fed up,” she said.
“Wages for the state’s largest female workforce have been suppressed for more than a decade.
“Labor must fix this gender inequity and show that it respects our nurses and midwives and the work they do caring for our communities.
“NSW nurses and midwives are the lowest paid in the country.
“If the State Government wants to rebuild the nursing and midwifery workforce and is serious about retaining its hardworking and dedicated staff, it must step up and pay nurses and midwives a wage that reflects their incredible contribution.
“It’s time Premier Chris Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey recognised the value and worth of nurses and midwives.”