TAMWORTH nurses and midwives will join colleagues from across the region and state in going on strike against the government’s proposed new wages and conditions agreement on Wednesday.
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Some nurses will strike for 24 hours and head to Sydney for a special general meeting of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association, while others remaining in Tamworth will strike for four hours.
Tenterfield nurses will strike for 1.5 hours and hold their own meeting.
Nurses at Narrabri will not strike, but will show their support for the campaign by wearing red.
Their off-duty colleagues will present local MP Kevin Humphries with a petition.
The size of the nursing staff at Boggabri means they cannot strike, but only essential services will be provided between 8am and 5pm.
Other branches of the union voted last Friday on whether to join the strike.
The full list of participating branches was expected to be finalised last night.
The union’s claim included the same minimum nursing ratios seen in city hospitals being extended to country hospitals, minimum staffing levels in clinical units such as emergency departments and children’s wards, and two, 2.5 per cent per year pay rises.
The NSW government’s offer includes a 2.5 per cent pay rise which will absorb the 0.25 per cent increase in compulsory employer superannuation contributions.
It does not include an extension of staffing ratios.