Nurses and midwives at Bowral Hospital have today walked out in protest over the NSW Government's latest pay offer.
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It's the first time in eight years the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) has rejected an offer and comes after increased strain on health workers over the past 12 months.
In a short statement the NSWNHA said enough was enough.
"NSWNMA branches have unanimously voted against the pitiful offer, with 98 per cent of members who voted rejecting the NSW Government's proposal," the statement read.
"This result shows nurses and midwives are at breaking point and will no longer put up with unsustainable workloads or dangerous staffing levels.
"You've waited long enough for safe staffing. You deserve shift-by-shift ratios and fair pay.
"Now is the time for nurses and midwives to stand up and take action. Enough is enough!
"We will continue to call on the NSW Government for ratios so we can deliver safe patient care to everyone."
Kay, a Bowral nurse and NSWNMA branch member, said health workers couldn't do their jobs safely without better nurse to patient ratios.
"I would say Bowral has experienced the same difficulties as many NSW Public Hospitals have over the last 12 months and indeed over many years," she told the Southern Highland News.
"We are all fundamentally understaffed, we are today taking action, asking for patient ratios to keep our patients safer and to provide better care for our patients.
"As their advocates it's our right to advocate for better patient care. Providing more qualified nurses across all shifts, across all areas in the hospital would enable this. That's the primary focus of today."
The strike will last for two hours.
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