Messages of solidarity

Messages of solidarity for the NSWNMA strike action are coming through from other unions. Read the messages below.

Message from Minnesota Nurses Association

Dear Brett and Judith:

The 20,000 nurses across the state of Minnesota in the United States proudly hail our courageous sisters and brothers of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association. You are boldly calling for a solution to the unnecessary risk to patients you witness every day in the 160 hospitals throughout NSW.

We are with you in your strike; we are with you at the table; we are with you in the halls of your government as you demand the ratios the vulnerable patients of Australia deserve.

Carry on, knowing you have the support of colleagues around the world.

Linda Hamilton, RN, BSN

President, Minnesota Nurses Association

Walter Frederickson, RN

Executive Director, Minnesota Nurses Association

Message from Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation

My  dear Judith and colleagues in the NSWNMA,

I find it hard to believe  that you are once again facing a struggle with your government in relation to nurse patient ratios. These days, we as Nurses and Midwives seem to be facing continuous battles in an attempt to do what is right for the citizens of our countries. It seems our governments are not interested in what is right and good for those who need care.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives organisation would like to reach out to you at this time in solidarity and friendship during this very difficult time for you. We have for some time now been the victims of budgetary constraints and cut backs. I must honestly say that when we look at what you have achieved we do so with some envy.

In this regard I urge you and your members to continue to do what is right, stand up and fight. You have our support and best wishes with your struggle. We will be watching and waiting to see your achievements, you continue to be our role model and an inspiration to Nurses all over the world and your performance and achievements are the benchmark for us to follow when our austerity measures finally cease. I wish you every success with your day of action.

Yours in Solidarity, on behalf of Irish Nurses and Midwives,

Claire Mahon, President Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation

Letter from National Nurses United (USA)

Dear Brett and Judith,

On behalf of National Nurses United (NNU),the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States representing more than 185,000 nurses, we write to condemn Premier O’Farrell’s failure to put patient safety first, and offer our overwhelming support and solidarity to the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association in your struggle to maintain and expand mandatory, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in your state.

As you know, we are very proud to have fought for and won mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios in the State of California. The law has saved thousands of lives since its inception and has brought tens of thousands of registered nurses back to the bedside. We continue to struggle for similar laws across the United States.

We know that as nurses and midwives your patients are always your first priority – and we know the frustration and anger that comes with being denied the means to provide your patients with optimal care. Please know that the nurses of NNU are with you every step of the way in your struggle for safe patient care in Australia.

In solidarity,

Deborah Burger, RN NNU Co-President

Karen Higgins, RN NNU Co-President

Jean Ross, RN NNU Co-President

Letter from NSW Teachers Federation

Dear Brett

Re: NSWMA Action – Wednesday 24 July 2013

Congratulations to the Councillors and state wide delegates of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) for your strong resolve in calling for member industrial action to support the Ratios put patient safety first campaign.

On the proposed day of action, the NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) Senior Officers will be in Melbourne attending the Australian Education Union Federal Executive.

However, I am pleased to advise that Rod Brown will be attending the NSWNMA Special General Meeting on behalf of NSWTF. Rod is currently the relieving Assistant General Secretary (Research and Industrial).

NSWTF shares your concerns at the funding cuts imposed across the public sector, which negatively impact on the quality and level of access to public services.

Further, the NSWTF congratulates the NSWNMA members for their strong and united action.

yours in solidarity,

Jenny Diamond, General Secretary

Letter from Queensland Nurses Union

Dear Brett,

On behalf of the nurses and midwives of Queensland, the Queensland Nurses Union (QNU) sends to you this message of solidarity for your statewide strike action on Wednesday 24 July 2013.

Your members are taking decisive action to support patient safety in light of the O’Farrell government’s failure to respond to your legitimate claims to ensure minimum enforceable

nurse to patient ratios apply in all settings in New South Wales. Patients should be assured of

the same standards of safe nursing and midwifery care regardless of whether they live in the city or country. It beggars belief that any government could try to sustain an argument that patients outside of metropolitan areas are not entitled to the minimum standard of nursing and midwifery care.

On behalf of the more than 50,000 members of the QNU we send our wholehearted support to . you and your vitally important campaign. Your struggle is our struggle – we are with you

every step of the way in your fight to ensure high quality, safe patient care for the community of New South Wales.

Can you please pass on to your members on Wednesday that the nurses and midwives of Queensland have so appreciated the support that your members have showed us in our campaign against the Newman government’s job and service cuts. We send our wholehearted support to you in your struggle with the O’Farrell government. The same conservative ideological agenda is at play in both states, and nurses and midwives must show leadership on behalf of their communities and take a stand in support of safe patient care. Your members

are doing just that and we applaud your members for the industrial action you are taking this

week.

Yours in solidarity,

Beth Mohle, Secretary

Letter from Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (NSW)

Dear Brett and NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association members

23 July 2013

Safer nurse staffing in all public hospitals and community health services

The Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation NSW (‘ASMOF’) wishes to send its support to all our Nursing and Midwifery colleagues of NSW who are campaigning to achieve safer nurse to patient ratios in all public hospital settings and in community health services.

This is especially so to those Nurses and Midwives who are standing up and making the personal sacrifice of striking for the benefit of all our patients now and in the future.

Medical Officers of all clinical levels rely daily on the expert observations and interventions of Nurses and Midwives in assisting with diagnosis and treatment of patients – particularly those patients who deteriorate while under all our care. We know that if there are not enough Nurses and Midwives with the right skills working with the rest of the health care team then patient safety is at risk.

ASMOF supports your call for safer patient care and congratulates you all on your commitment to the cause that you are fighting for.

Yours sincerely

DR TONY SARA

President

ASMOF (NSW)

Message from South Australia

Dear Brett and Coral,

I send greetings and support from ANMF members in South Australia (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA Branch)

We are also engaged in bargaining over safe staffing levels for our public hospitals. Like you, we have been faced with resistance from bureaucrats for several months.

However, unlike NSW our State Minister for Health has intervened to insist that his department recommence discussions with us aimed at overcoming the dispute over future staffing models.

South Australian nurses and midwives are determined to maintain safe staffing levels which directly benefit the patients and clients we serve.

We wish you success and solidarity with your own campaign for safe care and safe workloads in NSW.

In Unity,

Yours sincerely,

Adj Assoc Professor Elizabeth Dabars CEO/SECRETARY

Message from Canada

Dear Brett, Judith, Coral and New South Wales nurses,

On behalf of over 200,000 members of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, I send you our strongest support in these difficult times. A government that turns a blind eye to the nurses’ pleas for patient safety is a government that is risking Australian lives.

Members of NSWNMA, you are taking a strong stand to protect and enhance patient safety. Know that nurses across Canada are on your side. NSWNMA nurse patient ratios collective agreement language is being discussed at every bargaining table in our provinces (states) because we too need Ratios to put patient safety first.

Stay strong, you are fighting the good fight!

In Solidarity always

Linda

Linda Silas

President

Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions

Message from Dominican Republic

Dear colleague,

We want to extend our solidarity with the Nurses and Midwives Association of New South Wales in their struggle for better working conditions for nursing staff.

The National Union of Nursing, SINTRAE Dominican Republic, is of the view that only through united and decisive struggle at both the national and international levels will we reach our just economic and social demands as well as a nursing committed to public health and the population.

Please inform our colleague Judith Kiejda that she can count on our moral support; despite the distances, our hearts beat together with you in this fair strike.

Julio Cesar Garcia Cruceta

SINATRAE-Secretary General Dominican Republic

Apreciado compañero Ken Zin,

Por su intermedio queremos hacer llega nuestra solidaridad con la Asociación de Enfermeras y Parteras de New South Wales, en su lucha por mejores condiciones de trabajo para el personal de enfermeria.

El Sindicato Nacional de Enfermeria, SINTRAE de la Republica Dominicana es de opinión que solo con la lucha unitaria y decisiva tanto en el plano nacional como internacional lograremos nuestras justas reivindicaciones económicas y sociales, así como una enfermeria comprometida con la salud publica y la población.

Favor comunicar a la compañera Judith Kiejda, que Cuenten con nuestro apoyo moral, a pesar de la distancias nuestros corazones lateran junto a los de ustedes en esta justa huelga.

Julio Cesar Garcia Cruceta

Secretario Educación CNUS

Secretario General SINATRAE

Coordinador ISP- RD

Message from Guatemala

Dear Judith Kiejda,

With our encouragement from our beloved Guatemala, Central America, for you and our colleagues to stand firm in the fight and for the Government to recognise the strength and interest that the unions across the globe do. We have to be firm in our efforts and values for the benefit of the patients and our dignity as workers.

Ericka de Lòpez, National Union Health of Guatemala

Estimada Judit Kiejda animamos desde nuestra querida Guatemala, Centroamerica, para que tu y nuestras colegas se mantengan firmes en la lucha, y que los gobernantes reconozcan la fuerza, el interes y la uniòn global que tenemos para ser firmes en nuestros valores e ideales en beneficio de los pacientes y nuestra dignidad como trabajadoras y trabajadores.

Ericka de Lòpez, Sindicato Nacional de Salud Guatemala

Letter from ASMOF NSW
Letter from NNU
Letter from NSW Teachers Federation

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