Nurses and midwives across New South Wales went on strike this week. 

A 24-hour strike began at 6:30 am on Wednesday, after workers rejected a government offer of a phased pay increase in exchange for delaying the implementation of staffing improvements. 

The industrial action, the third such strike under the current Labor government, saw over 12,000 healthcare workers rallying outside NSW Parliament, demanding an immediate 15 per cent wage rise and rebuffing the government’s offer capped at 10.5 per cent over three years.

Health services were disrupted by the strike, with NSW Health reporting the postponement of hundreds of surgeries and extended wait times in emergency departments. 

Many had expected the industrial action would not take place following a previous commitment by the nurse’s union to halt strikes while the dispute was assessed by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC).

Participants have also asked why the deal falls short of recent agreements that granted salary increases to other public sectors, including police, paramedics, and teachers. These workers saw wage growth after over a decade of capped increases. 

Also this week, the NSW government has reached out to the NSW Police Force with an historic pay offer

The state says it will help to recruit and retain NSW Police officers, with 4 year pay agreement, as well as a one-off payment and improvements to allowances and pay-scales.

The NSW Government is set to grapple with a planned Rail, Tram and Bus Union industrial action this week.

Sydney Trains will operate a modified timetable on suburban lines this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday as bargaining continues on a new Enterprise Agreement. 

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