A good number of nurses and midwives across Ramsay Health Care’s 17 hospitals in Australia’s New South Wales will embark on a 24-hour strike on Tuesday, in an attempt to demand a pay hike and better staffing, according to a union representing them said on Monday.
The New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) General Secretary, Shaye Candish had said in a statement.
“Our members are demanding a 20% pay increase over three years and mandated nurse/midwife to patient ratios across all wards and units in Ramsay hospitals.”
The association has made plans to protest outside Ramsay’s annual general meeting venue on Tuesday, with hospital management communicating via email to Reuters, that it will do its best to minimise any impact from the strike.
Most of the staff had already voted down two pay offers by the hospital operator since pay negotiations commenced in April 2023, and they are yet to reach an agreement, the union further said.
Ramsay nurses and midwives in Queensland are paid about 14% more than those in NSW, the union had said.
This planned strike spotlights the growing angst among workers in Australia who are demanding higher pay to deal with the inflation and cost of living pressures in the country.
Interest rates in Australia are still at more than a decade high, with underlying inflation still proving to be sticky.
Ramsay’s shares fell 1.3% to A$38.55 at 0228 GMT, while the broader ASX index notched a record high earlier in the day.
