NSW Public sector unions have been told they will face hefty fines if they proceed with several stop work actions organised for next week.

Earlier this week, the NSW Teachers Federation and state branch of the Independent Education Union of Australia announced members of both their unions would walk of the job on Thursday 30 June.

Read more: Public and catholic educators unite in strike action

The following day (Wednesday 22 June), the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) announced hundreds of their members would stop work for different periods on Tuesday 28 June for a mass meeting of members across the state to discuss the urgent need for shift by shift staffing ratios in the nursing profession.

While no hospitals located in the Western Plains have elected to participate in the stop work, the Cobar Multi-Purpose Health Service did vote in favour of it and members not on shift will tune into the meeting which will be broadcast online.

However, that same day the state government announced new amendments to the Industrial Relations Act, which would impose bigger penalties for unions which take illegal strike action in breach of orders from the Industrial Relations Commission.

Under the amendments, the maximum penalty which may be awarded by the Supreme Court of NSW will be increased to $55,000 for the first day of a strike designated 'illegal', plus a further $27,500 for each day it continues.

This is a big increase from the previous penalties of a maximum of $10,000 for the first day and $5,000 for every day following.

Second or subsequent offenders will face even bigger penalties, jumping from an initial maximum of $20,000 for the first day and $10,000 for days following to $110,000 and $55,000 respectively.

Minister for Finance and Employee Relations Damien Tudehope said the increased fines were designed to deter unions from disrupting essential services in NSW.

“Illegal strike action has had incredibly damaging consequences for students, families and workers across the state,” Mr Tudehope said.

“The NSW Teachers Federation took unlawful state-wide industrial action on 4 May 2022 that shut down more than 450 public schools and resulted in more than 700,000 students being absent from school and missing out on active learning and teaching time.

“In addition this causes enormous inconvenience to families and economic damage from workers having to take the day off to care for their kids."

Mr Tudehope said a more recent example, the industrial action taken by the Public Service Association on Wednesday 8 June, had similar disruptions across the state.

“We want to put a stop to this sort of disruption and disorder and use the established mechanisms of the Industrial Relations Commission to resolve disputes without hurting innocent citizens,” he said.

The Western Plains App approached Minister for Western NSW Dugald Saunders for comment on the recent strike actions impacting regional NSW and his position on the new fines, however didn't issue a response before deadline.

Responding to the government's announcement, NSWNMA Acting General Secretary Shaye Candish said she found it disappointing that it was trying to silence public sector workers, its own employees.

"Our members are seeking safe staffing inside their workplaces in the form of shift by shift ratios so they can deliver the best possible care to patients – this is not an unreasonable request," Ms Candish said.

"We have attempted to work with government, including Ministers Hazzard, Tudehope, Taylor and Premier Perrottet, but they have ignored the desperate claims of our members

"Rather than listen, this government is attempting to silence nurses and midwives by threatening massive fines on the union for advocating on their behalf.”