Tasmanian Nurses Strike Over Pay, Safety as 200 Walk Off October 8

Tasmanian nurses and midwives walked off the job on October 8 at Royal Hobart Hospital and other state facilities, escalating their fight for better working conditions. Around 200 workers participated in the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation’s “Staff Us, Value Us, Protect Us” campaign, demanding legislative staff-to-patient ratios, higher pay, and measures to curb workplace violence. The strike followed months of failed enterprise agreement negotiations with the Tasmanian Government.

Why nurses struck on October 8

Nurses cited chronic understaffing, violence, and inadequate pay as reasons for the action. At Royal Hobart Hospital, a text message was sent to over 4,000 nurses and midwives last Friday instead of triggering a Code Yellow emergency response, because insufficient staff existed to safely staff the emergency department. Staff were pulled from wards and units, leaving them understaffed and potentially unsafe. ANMF Secretary Emily Shepherd said members had spent months at the negotiating table with no competitive offer received.

Violence and aggression on every shift

Nurses report daily violence and aggression across all wards at North West Regional Hospital. Kiara Roberts, a union delegate, said emergency department staff face risk with every patient presentation and risks to staff are not reflected in their pay. Roberts stated that nurses do not know what trauma they may take home after shifts. The ANMF’s log of claims includes 73 items addressing these workplace safety concerns.

What the ANMF is demanding

The union seeks legislative staff-to-patient ratios, measures to curb violence and aggression, and pay that reflects the value of nursing work. Shepherd said the log of claims aims to address the cost and churn of nurses leaving the system and enable recruitment to vacant positions across Tasmania. Health Minister Bridget Archer said she had spoken to workers and reassured them about how much the government values their work, but no new offer has been tabled.

Strike action spreads across Tasmania

The October 8 action at North West Regional Hospital and Mersey Community Hospital was part of a broader campaign. Launceston General Hospital nurses were set to take stop work action on the same day. The ANMF said all steps would be taken to ensure patient safety during strike action, but members felt they had no other option after months of unsuccessful negotiations.

Final Thoughts

Tasmanian nurses escalated industrial action on October 8 after failed negotiations over pay, staffing ratios, and workplace violence. The strike signals the union’s determination to secure a new enterprise agreement that addresses chronic understaffing and safety concerns across the state’s hospitals.

FAQs

Disclaimer:

The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes.  Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.