New South Wales hospitals will see thousands of nurses and midwives walk off the job for up to 24 hours today despite a last minute order from the Industrial Relations Commission banning the action.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard met representatives from the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association yesterday but no agreement could be reached to address staffing and pay concerns.
Unions say a chronic workforce shortage in hospitals and poor access to booster vaccines is pushing the state's nurses and midwives to the brink of mental and physical exhaustion from workloads and risking patients' lives.
They're also calling for better nurse-to-patient ratios and more than a 2.5 per cent pay rise.
The industrial action will be staggered and begin from 7am.
