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Paramedics Join Nurses and Midwives in Sydney Strike Over Pandemic Pay and Work Conditions
New South Wales paramedics joined hundreds of nurses and midwives who marched through Sydney’s CBD to state parliament on February 15 as part of a widespread strike to protest pay and staff levels. The New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) is demanding the implementation of a nurse-to-patient ratio system similar to those in Queensland or Victoria, and a pay rise above 2.5 per cent in response to increased workloads during the pandemic, local media reported. New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard met with representatives from the NSWNMA on Monday, but an agreement to address staffing issues and pay rates was not immediately made. Minister Hazzard said an additional billion dollars would be required to address the permanent ratio issue. The NSWNMA defied an order from the Industrial Relations Commission to call off the strike. Video filmed by the Australian Paramedics Association for New South Wales (APA NSW) shows protesters marching through Sydney’s CBD. Credit: APA NSW via Storyful
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