NSW Doctors to Strike Over Pay and Conditions, Disrupting Elective Surgeries

Thousands of public hospital doctors are planning to strike, marking the first such action in decades, due to a dispute with the NSW government over pay and working conditions. Despite a directive from the Industrial Relations Commission to avoid industrial action for three months, the doctors' union, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation (ASMOF), anticipates a significant number of its members will participate in a three-day strike starting April 8.

The union has stated that staffing in critical areas, such as emergency departments, will be maintained to ensure patient safety. However, elective surgeries are expected to be affected. Negotiations between the union and the government have stalled, primarily due to disagreements over the proposed pay increase.

The union is seeking a 30% increase in total compensation, arguing that this would bring salaries in line with those in other states. The government has countered with an offer of a 10.5% increase over three years. NSW Health has warned that doctors will be instructed to return to work if patient care is at risk.

An intensive care specialist, Dr. Behny Samadi, described the government's offer as a "pay cut" when considering recent inflation. She emphasized that the strike is not solely about pay, but also about modernizing the award, improving working conditions, and addressing the perceived decline in the culture within NSW Health.

Dr. Samadi highlighted a disconnect between administration and frontline staff, citing personal experiences and examples of bureaucratic obstacles. She also pointed out issues with the current award, including the lack of compensation for long additional hours and the absence of systems to address fatigue.

Health Minister Ryan Park stated that ASMOF has disregarded the government's offer of a backdated 3% pay increase, contingent on the union abandoning its industrial action. He also mentioned the substantial financial implications of meeting the union's demands. Preparations are underway to manage the impact on patients, and those with postponed elective surgeries will be contacted.

The union has called for the government to stop what they describe as threats and intimidation against frontline doctors, particularly in response to letters sent by NSW Health to staff ahead of the strike. Dr. Samadi reiterated that the doctors do not want to strike, but feel it is a last resort. She assured that plans are in place to maintain safe, minimum staffing levels in critical areas, and apologized to patients whose elective surgeries will be affected.