There will be a Nurses and Midwives Rally to fight for safe staffing ratios tomorrow
in Batemans Bay
Nurses and midwives from the Eurobodalla, Bega Valley and Snowy Monaro regions will walk off the job and converge on Batemans Bay tomorrow (Thursday 31 March) as part of a state-wide plea for improved nurse-to-patient ratios
Time: 10am Date: Thursday, 31 March 2022
Location: Foreshore Park, Clyde St, Batemans Bay
Thousands of nurses across 150 hospitals walked off the job February 2022 in their first strike in a decade, calling for pay rises of more than 2.5 per cent and ratios of one nurse per four patients to relieve an exhausted workforce.
Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard claimed at the time that the nurses' demand for improved staff to patient ratios would cost NSW taxpayers $1 billion.
Instead of respecting what was being presented the NSW Health Minister described the nurses and midwives strike over pay and work conditions as "unfortunate" and warned those participating could face disciplinary action after they defied an order to protest.
The Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) ordered the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) to cancel the event as it could put public health in danger.
The response was that not only patient lives but the lives of nurses and midwives lives were in danger from being both under resourced and over worked.
Nurses and midwives will rally at over 20 locations across the state on Thursday 31, March including Batemans Bay.
VIDEO: NSW public hospitals are facing increased admissions of patients, without the increase in staff to meet the demand. There simply aren’t enough nurses and midwives and it’s putting patients’ lives at risk. A more transparent nurse-to-patient ratios system is urgently needed to help deliver safe care to all patients across NSW.
"We’re standing up for our patients. Safe ratios are a priority for everyone. It’s time the government did the right thing and put the people of NSW and their care first."
