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Union representatives met Premier Dominic Perrottet and Health Minister Brad Hazzard on February 21,six days after the previous strike,which involved 150 hospitals.
Mr Holmes said the state government “have[his] number” if they wished to meet again.
Thousands of nurses packed into Queen’s Square with their signs and flags before marching up Macquarie Street to state parliament. Passing ambulances sounded their sirens to cheers from the crowd.
Sarah Webb,a registered nurse and union delegate from Warren,told the crowd she had travelled 508 km to attend the Sydney rally because she was sick of deciding “who gets treatment and who has to wait”.
“We do not have a doctor on-site,doctors certify deaths through a TV screen. We do not have security,” she said.
“Rural nursing is dangerous … we are at breaking point.“
Nurses from Wyong Hospital were on a train at 7am to make it to the city for the strike action. They had dressed as handmaids from the Margaret Atwood novel,The Handmaid’s Tale,as they said they felt “silenced”.
“Do you know what it’s like to have to say to a dying patient,I know you need me but I just need to go and see someone else,” said Kelly Falconer,co-president of the union’s Wyong branch.
In addition to literature references,plenty of healthcare workers turned to meme culture to make their opinions known.
Midwives Julia Wilson and Tara Anderson from Blacktown Hospital held signs with references toThe Simpsons,expressing frustration with NSW Health and the state government.
“We are here for women,” Ms Anderson said,noting that in a growing area like north-west Sydney,it felt like staffing numbers were not being increased to match the population growth.
Nurses from Auburn Hospital directed their frustration at Prime Minister Scott Morrison in their signs,as well as making reference to the Oscars’ “slap” incident.
The crowd chanted “not happy,Brad;not happy,Dom” as they walked past the Premier and Health Minister’s workplace,however the most common cry was:“What do we want? Ratios. When do we want it? Now.”
A NSW Health spokesperson said “any strike action would cause disruption and delays to health services”,urging the union to comply with the Industrial Relations Commission’s order and not strike.
“[Strike action] would also add unnecessary pressure on health staff who remain looking after patients and who are already under pressure from the pandemic,” they said.
“Whilst Local Health Districts have plans in place to minimise potential disruptions and delays,to ensure all those in need of emergency and urgent care continue to receive it as quickly as possible,NSW Health urges the union to comply with the orders handed down by the IRC.”
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