NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NMA) Wagga Branch delegate Natalie Ellis has called out the NSW government's $3000 'thank you' payment as inequitable and "tokenistic".
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The one-off payment for public sector health workers was announced last week as part of a $4.5 billion funding boost to NSW Health which includes 10,148 full time positions and a wage salary cap increase.
But local NMA member Mrs Ellis said the payment is not a true show of appreciation for the health industry's efforts throughout COVID if it doesn't also include private sector and aged care workers.
"Think of the nightmare COVID has been, it didn't stop at the public hospitals," she said.
"If they genuinely wanted to have a gratuity payment for an industry that has almost crippled itself to support the health and wellbeing of our community, then why wouldn't you give it to everyone with equity across the board?
"And give it as something that is upfront, genuinely what it appears to be, rather than saying we're giving you $3000, but we are taxing it, we're taking off super - so, that's not the amount."
A NSW Health spokesperson confirmed the $3000 payment for public sector workers is inclusive of superannuation, is taxable and will be paid pro-rata to part time and casual staff based on number of hours worked.
Mrs Ellis said the NSW government's response to recent industrial action from nurses and midwives is disappointing.
"The government have not listened to what we've asked for and it feels like a bribe," she said.
"It feels like, 'here's $3000, sit down and shut up'.
"And for most of us, it's not about the money to begin with, it's about the workload and patient safety."
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The NMA has reiterated its calls for nurse-to-patient ratios in NSW hospitals.
Wagga Gumleigh Gardens aged care home care manager Christine Fulthorpe said local health care workers have faced high risk, high scrutiny work throughout the pandemic.
"It's not a very nice industry to be in at the moment for the aged care workers," she said.
"So yeah, any extra money would be beneficial."
Australian aged care workers received two bonus $400 payments earlier this year from the federal government which were also subject to tax.
"I hear it a lot from our workers that it was kind of useless, because most of it went in tax anyway, so they didn't see much of it at all," Ms Fulthorpe said.
She also said those payments were not equitable, with key aged care staff excluded from receiving them.
"Some people [were] missed, like administration and maintenance - people who are still doing a lot of work for COVID-related tasks and they're not entitled to it at all," she said.
Calvary Riverina Hospital was contacted for this story but chose not to comment.
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