Over 36,000 Nurses and Midwives to Strike for 24 Hours in New Zealand

In a historic move, more than 36,000 nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants, and kaimahi hauora will strike for a full 24 hours starting at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, 30 July, and ending at 9:00 AM on Thursday, 31 July. The strike will affect all locations in New Zealand where Te Whatu Ora provides health care or hospital care services, though life-preserving services will continue as normal.

The decision comes after failed last-ditch negotiations between Health NZ and the Nurses Organisation on Monday. Despite ongoing discussions since September, the two parties have not reached a resolution on key issues, particularly those related to chronic short-staffing, working conditions, and pay.

Paul Goutler, chief executive of the Nurses Organisation (NZNO), expressed frustration over the lack of progress. He stated that the refusal to acknowledge the severity of staffing shortages has placed both patients and healthcare workers in a precarious situation. Short-staffing not only increases wait times but also risks patient safety and leads to unnecessary suffering for those in need of care.

Anne Daniels, president of NZNO and a nurse in Dunedin, described the current state of the public health system as “in such a state of failure” in her 45 years of nursing. She highlighted the lack of recruitment and competitive pay as major factors driving nurses to leave the profession. “Nurses are not being paid competitively to keep them in New Zealand,” she said. “Our work conditions are desperate, and that takes a toll on us all every day.”

Health NZ emphasized that the strike will impact patients waiting for planned care and urged those with non-urgent ailments to consult their GP first. It also noted that it has contingency plans in place to ensure patient safety and that its pay offer, which includes a 11 percent increase for new graduate nurses and a 3 percent increase for registered nurses over two years, was fair given its financial constraints.

The union, however, remains unconvinced. They argue that the offer does not address the critical issues of safe staffing and working conditions. The strike is not just about pay but about ensuring that healthcare workers can deliver timely and safe care without being overburdened.

As the nation braces for the strike, the situation has sparked concern across the healthcare sector and among the public. The coming days will test the resilience of the health system and the commitment of healthcare workers to provide care even under challenging circumstances.