Ramsay Health Care nurses and midwives from Wollongong, Nowra and Southern Highlands Private Hospitals will walk off the job for four hours TODAY (Monday 19 August) as they ramp up historic industrial action against the country’s largest private hospital operator.
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) members from the three South Coast hospitals will rally to highlight Ramsay’s unacceptable pay and conditions offer.
The four-hour work stoppage will result in many operating theatres being closed and there will be bans on working overtime. As part of the ongoing industrial action, nurses and midwives are also refusing to do non-clinical duties such as answering phones, checking stock, emptying bins, cleaning and food or drink service.
The rally will coincide with Ramsay’s second request to nurses and midwives to vote on their pay and conditions, after they increased their offer slightly to 12.5% over three years, which is still well below the union’s ask of 18% over three years. Ramsay has also refused to agree to introduce nurse/midwife to patient ratios.
The NSWNMA is continuing to call on the private hospital operator to put staff and patients before profits and come to the table with a pay offer that is above inflation and takes into account cost of living increases. It is also demanding Ramsay commits to the introduction of ratios for all wards and units in their NSW hospitals.
This will be the seventh stop work action by Ramsay members in the last month, and the second time Wollongong Private Hospital staff will walk off the job.
