Nearly 40,000 nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants walked off the job today in a nationwide strike, demanding urgent action to address chronic understaffing, unsafe working conditions, and what they describe as an insultingly low pay offer.
At Auckland City Hospital, signs and chants filled the air as workers voiced their frustration.
“We’re here to fight for all the whānau here in our hospitals,” one nurse said.
The strike was sparked by Te Whatu Ora’s recent pay proposal, which offers a 0.5% increase in the first year and up to 1% in the second year — a figure that falls far short of inflation.
“It’s absolutely a slap in the face,” said Julian Vyas, a member of the senior doctors union.
“The cost of living is skyrocketing, and this offer doesn’t come close to addressing that.”
Nurse Kiri Mann agreed, saying, “We help hold this health system together. It would be really nice just to get a fair pay.”
Patient safety at risk
Nurses emphasised that the strike wasn’t just about wages but also about patient safety. Chronic understaffing and under-resourcing were leading to compromised care.
“When we are understaffed, we are not able to give the care to our patients that we want to give, and that’s the main thing,” said Lily Mole, a nurse at Auckland Hospital.
Mann highlighted how basic needs were often overlooked. “Something as simple as washing a patient’s face or helping them to the bathroom can be missed because nurses are too busy managing pain relief or other critical tasks. That’s heartbreaking as a nurse.”
The issues are pushing some nurses to consider leaving New Zealand altogether. Australia, with its better pay and staffing conditions, is becoming an increasingly attractive option.
“There’s nothing keeping us here,” said Mole. “If we’re getting paid more over there with better staffing, what’s not to like?”
The strike will last until 7 p.m. today, with emergency departments remaining open to ensure life-preserving services.
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