MOREE District Hospital nursing staff walked off the job for one hour on Tuesday as rolling strikes across New South Wales continued this week.
Staff at 15 hospitals statewide, including Moree, Tamworth and Armidale, stopped work for periods between one-hour and 12 hours as the New South Wales Nurses Association (NSWNA) continues its fight for a 15 per cent pay increase across the board.
An offer of a 10.5 per cent wage rise over three years has been knocked back.
Tuesday’s one-hour strike by Moree hospital nursing staff follows stop-work action on August 29, with a spokesperson for the Moree branch of the NSWNA saying further industrial action is expected.
“More strikes are expected until Minister for Health and the New South Wales Government hears our pleas,” the spokesperson said.
“Staff at Moree are actively participating in the industrial action that will cause non-clinical workloads to cease.
“Staff are frustrated with the lack of incentives, tiresome staff shortages and an insufficient pay rate.
“Nurses in New South Wales are leaving in droves across the border to Queensland, where they can be paid $10 per hour more.
Moree District Hospital staff stopped work for one hour on Tuesday as the fight for a 15 per cent wage rise ramps up (Image Supplied).
“The Queensland government is also offering a $20,000 relocation bonus to rural and remote areas,” the spokesperson said.
“Moree nurses love the local community and are doing what’s best for community members, but the shortage of staff numbers and the real risk of losing valuable staff members means we must strike to have our voices heard.”
Moree staff stopped work on Tuesday at 2pm for one hour.
“That was all we could manage. We have to ensure any action taken by us does not negatively impact on direct patient care, which we did. Nurses who participated during work time had their pay docked,” the spokesperson said.
The NSWNA said in a statement the State Government is refusing to bargain in good faith, and is ignoring public health system nurses and midwives’ calls for better pay and conditions.
“These justified and necessary improvements will help rebuild and repair our public health services,” the NSWNA said.
“As part of these improvements, we are demanding a 15 per cent pay increase, plus superannuation, for all nurses and midwives from July 1, 2024.
“High levels of exhaustion and a decade of wage suppression, coupled with rising cost-of-living pressures, have taken a considerable toll on the nursing and midwifery workforce across our state.
“As the largest healthcare workforce, it is essential to look at the investment needed to sustain our nursing and midwifery professions into the future. The viability of our health system depends on it.
“Enabling nurses and midwives to achieve and maintain a healthy work-life balance would deliver enormous benefit to both the system and patient outcomes.
“It will also help retain the knowledge and skills of experienced nurses and midwives, and leave a lasting effect on care.”
