Tasmanian Nurses Strike Over Pay and Safety on October 8

Around 200 nurses and midwives at Royal Hobart Hospital and other Tasmanian facilities walked off the job on October 8 as part of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation campaign ‘Staff Us, Value Us, Protect Us’. The strike followed six months of failed negotiations with the state government over a new enterprise agreement that would deliver better pay, legislated staff-to-patient ratios, and measures to curb workplace violence and aggression.

Why nurses walked out on October 8

Nurses report violence and aggression occur daily across all wards at North West Regional Hospital, with emergency department staff at particular risk. Kiara Roberts, a union delegate, said staff do not feel their risks are reflected in their pay. The strike came after the Tasmanian government failed to table a competitive offer following months of negotiations, forcing nurses to take industrial action to demonstrate how desperately better conditions are needed.

Chronic understaffing forced emergency measures

Royal Hobart Hospital sent a text message to over 4,000 nurses and midwives across the state last Friday instead of activating a Code Yellow protocol. ANMF secretary Emily Shepherd said this happened because insufficient staff meant workers had to be pulled from wards and units to safely staff the emergency department, leaving other areas understaffed and potentially unsafe. The union’s log of claims includes 73 items aimed at addressing the cost and churn of nurses leaving the system.

Government budget cuts fuel the dispute

Treasurer Abetz is cutting AUD 700 million from health spending, according to Labor opposition statements. Health Minister Bridget Archer backs the cuts despite Tasmania’s health system already facing overcrowded emergency departments, chronic understaffing, ambulance ramping, and growing elective surgery backlogs. ANMF secretary Emily Shepherd said members were willing to strike again if the government does not deliver a proper offer.

What the union is demanding

The ANMF seeks legislative staff-to-patient ratios, measures to curb violence and aggression, and immediate relief from chronic understaffing. The union also demands workplace conditions that properly value nurses and midwives and help address recruitment to vacant positions across Tasmania. Nurse Kiara Roberts said the risks to staff were not reflected in their pay, and members felt disrespected despite the life-saving work they perform daily.

Final Thoughts

The October 8 strike signals the ANMF’s willingness to escalate industrial action if the Tasmanian government does not table a genuine offer. With health budget cuts of AUD 700 million underway and no offer on the table after six months of talks, further strikes are likely unless negotiations shift.

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