For the second time in the past two months, nurses and midwives throughout the Hunter region will take industrial action.
Many are expected to walk off the job for 24 hours, from 7am on Thursday 31 March, over the NSW Government’s failure to act on the staffing crisis in public hospitals despite an initial state-wide strike six weeks ago.
One rally is scheduled to take place from 9.30am at the Newcastle Museum, in Workshop Way.
From there, the nurses and midwives will march to Foreshore Park.
At 10am, the Tomaree Community Hospital (Trevally Street) is staging another gathering in Nelson Bay.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) branch members will once again call for nurse-to-patient ratios and improved maternity staffing on every shift.
The union hasn’t received an offer from the government since meeting with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet on 21 February.
“Everyone is increasingly frustrated at the government’s inaction to address the serious issues they are raising shift after shift, but seemingly falling on deaf ears,” general secretary Brett Holmes said.
“More than 180 branches voted in favour of state-wide strike action over the past two weeks, and over 160 of those will be participating in a 24-hour strike or work bans, leaving behind staff to provide life-preserving care.
“Despite their pleas for more support from the government, nurses and midwives are extremely fatigued from working double shifts and increased amounts of overtime, because of the growing gaps in staffing rosters.
“We need the NSW Government to sit down with us for meaningful talks about our claim for shift-by-shift nurse-to-patient ratios, improved maternity staffing and a modest pay rise.
“What nurses and midwives are asking for is not unreasonable.
“We’re simply calling on the government to prioritise patient care and commit to a safe staffing model with a guaranteed minimum number of nurses and midwives on every shift.”
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