Strike over violent acts

Health Services Union (HSU) NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said 1,263 members in the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) would join more than 22,000 hospital workers across the state for the strike action which was unanimously endorsed at a delegates conference last week.
“Our members are sick of being treated as punching bags. We do not take this strike action lightly, it really is a last resort,” he said.
“According to the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, there are now almost 40 assaults in hospitals each month.
“We’ve seen too many people stabbed, too many people shot, too many people who have been spat upon or punched, too many people getting PTSD because they went to work.
“The HSU has consistently sought 250 extra security guards with extra constable powers to deal with the crisis. However these pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
“Enough is enough. We are sick of the reviews and talkfests. We need 250 extra security officers with special constable powers and we need them now.”
While not joining the strike action themselves, the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NMA) offered support to the HSU members which includes paramedics, cleaners, hospital administration, security guards and other allied health workers.
In a statement, a NSWNMA spokesperson said the rising level of violence and aggression being experienced by health workers was “abhorrent” and current violence prevention measures were “clearly inadequate and require urgent attention”.
“This is a systemic issue across the entire health sector – public, private, aged care, mental health and community health workers are all being impacted,” the statement said.