The New South Wales health minister hopes a deal can be reached “sooner rather than later” with nurses, as thousands walk off the job for 24 hours amid a pay dispute.
From 7am on Tuesday, NSW Nurses and Midwives Association members stopped working at public hospitals.
Life-saving care will not be impacted, however there may be some delays for elective surgery patients.
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Members have demanded a 15 per cent one-year pay rise, which Premier Chris Minns said was impossible to meet.
“High levels of exhaustion and a decade of wage suppression, coupled with rising cost-of-living pressures, have taken a considerable toll on the nursing and midwifery workforce across our state,” the union said on its website.
Currently, an offer of a three-year 10.5 per cent increase factoring in a mandatory rise in superannuation payments. It also offered back pay if nurses agreed to stop the industrial action.
New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park hoped an agreement could be reached soon.
“The commission made it clear it wanted us to spend the next few days and weeks over the following month to try and get this resolved,” he said.
“We hope to have that done by that time; we’d like it done sooner rather than later.”
In a separate statement, Mr Park said patients with planned surgeries had been attempted to be made contact to reschedule.
“I acknowledge the dispute between the government and the association has a way to go,” he said.