New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has stepped up his efforts amid an illegal 12-hour nurses strike, saying the government has presented a “fair offer” to nurses demanding better pay.
The New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) has demanded a 15 per cent pay rise over one year, but the state government has proposed a 10.5 per cent increase over three years.
Jane, a nurse from New South Wales, I logged on to 2GB to chat with Mr. Minns on Tuesday morning and told him I was “out of stock.”
He said that while the action was about money, there were also safety issues facing nurses and patients.
“It’s no longer safe for nurses or patients. You have to walk around a NSW Health hospital to see that,” Jane said.
However, Mr Minns said he believed the government had “presented a fair offer to nurses” by offering more than the previous government.
“I understand that may not be acceptable, but the government has said that if we cannot reach an agreement on our offer, the offer that is on the table, we are prepared to accept the decision of the independent arbitrator of the New South Wales industrial relations tribunal,” Minns said.
Mr Minns assured Jane he had toured hospitals as Premier and to visit loved ones, stressing he knows the “dedication” and “commitment” needed to be an essential worker in NSW.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has stepped up his efforts amid an illegal 12-hour nurses strike, saying the government has presented a “fair offer” to nurses demanding better pay.
“But I want to say, and this is really important, we haven’t done anything. We’ve worked very closely with the nurses association,” Minns said.
Mr Minns acknowledged that inflation and high interest rates could lead nurses to say the offer was not good enough.
“But we have said that we are prepared to have that arbitrated by an independent arbitrator,” he said as Jane interrupted him.
“Inflation is killing us. It’s killing me and it’s killing everyone I know,” he said.
“It’s the number one conversation in every team room. And then they ask us to do more shifts… we’re so exhausted.”
Mr Minns said Jane and other nurses had worked “incredibly hard on behalf of the taxpayers of NSW” but if a 15 per cent annual increase was implemented it would cost $6.5 billion – more than the government spends on the entire police force in a year.
“I respect the work they’re doing, but I have to be honest about our ability to pay,” he said.
The NSWNMA has criticised the government’s proposal, with NSWNMA general secretary Shaye Candish saying the government is “choosing to pay nurses and midwives the lowest wages in the country”.
“Not once in our 10 bargaining meetings has the government come to the table to discuss the pay of nurses and midwives,” Candish said.
The New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) has demanded a 15 per cent pay rise over one year, however the state government has instead proposed a 10.5 per cent increase over three years.
Mr Minns said Jane and other nurses had worked “incredibly hard on behalf of the taxpayers of New South Wales”.
‘Nurses and midwives should not have to foot the bill for safe staffing in our public hospitals and forgo a decent pay rise – no other staff have been required to pay out of their own pocket.
‘It’s clear the state government is choosing to pay nurses and midwives the lowest wages in the country, and will continue to see our public health system crumble if it doesn’t pay them enough to stay in NSW.’
Waiting times in emergency rooms are expected to increase as a result of the strike.
It is understood that skeleton rescue staff will remain at public hospitals and health services during the strike, which began at 7am on Tuesday.
A protest also formed outside Mr Minns’ office in Kogarah at 9.30am on Tuesday.
The Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) has declared the strike unlawful and NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has said the strike could lead to longer waiting times in emergency rooms and the cancellation of non-emergency surgeries.
“The IRC has given orders to end the strike immediately. The unions fought for the establishment of an independent industrial tribunal and commission and we hope the Association will comply with their orders,” Park said.
“There is no doubt that this action will have an impact on our public health system, from longer waits in emergency rooms to cancellation of non-emergency surgeries.”