Around 2000 people marched through the centre of Whangārei, bringing traffic to a standstill for about 15 minutes. Photo / Denise Piper
Safe staffing levels, better recruitment and protecting their professions’ futures were the key reasons public service workers went on strike on Thursday.
The Northland teachers, nurses, dental staff, ACC workers, prison nurses, social workers, mental health workers and other health staff were among 100,000 people nationwide taking part in the mega-strike.
Unlike the rest of the country, Northlanders had good weather for the rallies, which were attended by about 2000 people in Whangārei and several hundred in Kaitāia.
Whangārei-based sterilising technician and PSA representative Steven Grant said the purpose was much wider than just protesting wages; it was also about making a stand against issues like a lack of recruitment.
“It’s about the future of our country. It’s about standing up for fairness, dignity and the essential services every New Zealander depends on.”
Those striking included sterilisation technicians, laboratory workers, dental assistants and allied health assistants, who were not well paid, Grant said.
“These are lower-paid health jobs and we’re struggling with the cost of living.”
Whangārei Hospital emergency nurse Bridget Firth said she wanted to speak up because politicians did not understand what it was like to be a healthcare worker.
“We’ve been there when you are giving everything to save a woman’s life. As she took her last breath, that room went quiet – not because we gave up but because we gave everything ...
“Today is about those moments and making them loud.”
Whangārei Hospital nurse Rachel Thorn said the result of not having enough doctors, nurses or healthcare workers is people dying.
“People have died in the last week due to unsafe staffing and there’s probably many more that we don’t know about.”
Signs at Whangārei’s rally included ones saying “healthcare still in crisis” and “safe staffing saves lives”.
The message was similar for teachers, who said the education system was in crisis.
Ōpua School teacher and NZEI representative Juliette Ridge said there was a huge need for more support staff and teacher aides.
“More than 5000 tamariki are currently waiting for learning support,” she said.
“Our children are the future of our country and they deserve the best start in life.”
Jodie Baldwin from Tikipunga High School said nationwide, there were 850 advertised teaching positions at the start of the year that could not be filled.
Justice Gamble, a Far North resource teacher for learning and behaviour, said several hundred people attended the Kaitāia rally, representing all sectors.
The event was well supported by the local community and students, she said.
“We had a lot of positive support from everyone in the community.”
Those striking were not only standing up for their professions but also standing up for the community, Gamble said.
“If we’re not there doing our mahi, there’s a massive void in our community.”
Gamble said New Zealand’s teachers are an ageing workforce and teaching has to be made attractive for young people.
Whangārei’s rally also received good support from the wider community, with students and patients among those marching through town.
One patient, Sydney Heremia, who marched with his dog Oscar in a carry pack, said he wanted to support the doctors and public health system who had recently saved his life.
Heremia has a genetic heart condition, cardiomyopathy, and had lifesaving surgery a month ago.
“I’m here to show support for doctors and the healthcare system.”
Clinical nurse specialist Gloria Ruwhiu, dressed in a purple wig and tutu, said she was striking because of the need for nurses to have safe staffing levels.
“Nurses are absolutely exhausted from working extra shifts.
“It’s not fair, we need to look after ourselves and the problem is that we don’t – we put ourselves on the back burner for our patients.”
The education, health and public service ministers called the strike unfair, unproductive and unnecessary in a joint statement.
Public Service Minister Judith Collins said the strike was a “stunt” that would not help anyone.
“The people paying the price are the thousands of patients who have had appointments and surgeries cancelled, and the hundreds of thousands of kids who will miss another day at school.”
Education Minister Erica Stanford said the Government is stretching its financial mandate to make an offer that means a base salary of at least $100,000 would be available to 66% of trained primary teachers and 76% of all trained secondary teachers.
The NZEI and PPTA unions turned these offers down, showing they are not bargaining in good faith, she said.
Health Minister Simeon Brown said the average salary for both senior and registered nurses is $125,662, including overtime, a professional development allowance and penal rates.
Under the latest offer, nurses on the top step would have had a 2% increase in June 2025 and another 1% in June 2026.
Brown also criticised the union representing senior doctors from walking away from an offer that would have improved the pay and conditions of some of the most highly paid people in New Zealand.
Senior doctors did not strike in Northland, in part due to strikes earlier in the year.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.