Public sector nurses and midwives in New South Wales are calling for justified and necessary improvements to help rebuild our public health services.

As part of these improvements, we are demanding a 15% pay increase, plus superannuation, for all nurses and midwives from 1 July 2024.

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.

As the largest healthcare workforce, it is essential to look at the investment needed to sustain our nursing and midwifery professions into the future. The viability of our health system depends on it.

Enabling nurses and midwives to achieve and maintain a healthy work-life balance would deliver enormous benefit to both the system and patient outcomes. It will also help retain the knowledge and skills of experienced nurses and midwives, and leave a lasting effect on care.

It’s time to recognise the important contribution nurses and midwives make. This can be done by paying them a fair and deserving wage. NSW nurses and midwives deserve more in 2024.