Nurses around the western area took part in a 24-hour state-wide strike today after talks with the NSW Government broke down in negotiations for better wages and conditions for nurses and midwives.

In a call-to-action Nurses and Midwives have asked the Premier and Treasurer to pay them properly or risk losing nurses to other better paying states.

They say that although they strive to provide high-quality care to all patients, they feel extremely undervalued, disrespected, and overworked in their own state.

In working with Health Service Managers, skeleton staff allowed nurses to take part in the strike and express their needs to the wider public.

“Nurses of small rural areas do not take this action lightly,” according to a nurses spokesperson from the Western region.

“We are passionate members of our local communities and we have reached breaking point.

“Some of us have come on our days off, and others have given up a day’s pay to fight, and we are doing it on behalf of our communities,” she said.

“We work in facilities that are desperately under resourced and understaffed and we know that if the state government does not begin to improve our conditions and decrease the huge pay gap between the salaries of NSW Nurses and those of our surrounding states, we will continue to lose more and more nurses."

Tracey Boney Parkes President NMA and Roxy Hendry NSWNMA took to the streets today - image NSWNMA facebook page

“In recent months we have lost over five experienced nurses who have moved to other states with better pay and conditions or they have moved onto jobs in other industries or with private organisations who are able to offer better pay and resources," the nurse said.

“If we don’t act now then there will be a time in the not-too-distant future, that we simply will not have the staff to service our towns, and our local population will suffer.

“It is very hard right now to recruit and maintain staff when we can’t offer the same as other places.

“On top of that it is very hard to encourage people to begin a career in nursing when they can go and do many other jobs that require less and training and money to begin, and immediately offer better pay and conditions.

“We have ensured that there is adequate staffing at the Hospital today,” she added.

Another Western region nurse told Western Plains App it was time for the Government to step up and help those who are helping others.

“We are currently working under conditions that were designed for 2008 not 2024 and they just don’t fit anymore, we need the government to understand our plight and step up for us just as we do and have done over the last few years particularly but every day.”

“We just need someone to listen,” she said.

Nyngan Nurses on Strike day - Image supplied

NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said members were furious over the government’s unwillingness to negotiate a fair and equitable wage deal.

“Teachers, paramedics and now police have all received historic, once-in-a-generation pay rises. The decision to give police more than double the offer for nurses, speaks volumes.

"The message to NSW women, who make up 86% of our nursing and midwifery workforce, is clear: their hard work is worth less in the eyes of the government,” said Ms Candish.

“The government cannot continue to ignore the reality that NSW’s healthcare system is crumbling due to severe understaffing and unfair wages. They cannot avoid the responsibility of fixing this crisis any longer.”

NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish - Image NSWNMA