The Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) wishes to once again express its solidarity with nurses
who have been engaged in industrial action.
Nurses, like social workers, play an irreplaceable role in society, offering vital preventative services and standing
with people during times of acute crisis. They are undervalued yet indispensable, saving or changing lives on a daily
basis; their care has been delivered even as workloads have increased, the cost of living has risen and wages have
stagnated.
Now the time has finally come for nurses to call for change; last week’s strike was the first of its kind in thirty
years. They have waited patiently, mindful of the interests of patients, for their voices to be heard by government;
finally they have decided to take decisive action to call for changes that will benefit both nurses and those they care
for: those who have opted to strike are seeking not only a fair deal on wages, but for more nurses to be employed in
hospitals so that patients can receive better care.
ANZASW believes that nurses’ actions are both principled and necessary. Nurses deserve fair pay and are justified in
calling for an increase in the workforce, as it is inevitable that excessive workloads and carer burnout will impact
service users.
It is firmly in the public interest that the government and district health boards listen to nurses’ demands. We offer
them our firm support; we hope that ongoing negotiations will lead to a mutually satisfactory resolution. If the
deadlock continues, however, and further strike actions are required, we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder
with our public sector colleagues.
ends