15th of February 2022, the Nursing and Midwifery Union of NSW (NSWNMA) went on strike for the first time in almost a decade. Nurses and midwives from approximately 150 different hospitals across NSW walked out despite the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) ordering against industrial action.

For the last 2 years, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated issues related to safe staffing and healthcare worker burnout. The lack of transparency for conditions, the lack of acknowledgement by the NSW Government mean that nurses are feeling overwhelmed, taken advantage of and forgotten. Frequently called, ‘healthcare heroes’ with compensation in the form of ‘thanks’.

We don’t want thanks. We want safe staffing (1:1 in ICU, 1:2 in HDU, 1:3 in Emergency and 1:4 in the wards). We want a 2.5% pay rise instead of the pay freeze that we got during the pandemic. This is not much to ask for.

This is a photo collection of the Sydney strike action with approximately 5000 in attendance - all unified with the same message: ‘We want to be respected and capable of looking after our patients and right now, we are broken and the hospital system is not coping’.

As a registered nurse and member of the NSWNMA and working in Intensive Care, I feel this burden along with my fellow healthcare workers:

“We are broken: Nurses to strike for first time in a decade: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/nsw-nurses-set-to-strike-after-three-waves-of-covid-bring-them-to-breaking-point/news-story/310a49ddc25925d41238498c32c5fd49

‘NSW nurses and midwives to walk off the job despite being ordered to work’: https://fb.watch/bhM-MBPqJ4/

‘Christian Voices join NSW Nurses’: https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/christian-voices-join-nsw-nurses-cry-for-help/

Healthcare heroes at 'breaking point' walk out on job: https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/nsw-nurses-strike-demanding-better-pay-and-conditions/2b8df0b1-f326-4a5a-87cb-7b6b5e29fc2c