Print PageHundreds of rural nurses will walk off the job at hospitals across WA this month in a bid to force the State Government into an early pay deal.
Although their current wage agreement ends in June, WA nurses want the new deal finalised before the March election.
Starting today, they will hold stop work meetings in Geraldton, Kalgoorlie and Bunbury.
Australian Nursing Federation state secretary Mark Olsen says rural staff do not often participate in such action, but feel they have little choice.
"Our members have got the message," he said.
"If you put pressure on the government, they take you seriously.
"If you're polite, they think you're a pushover.
"We won't have the 18 months of delays that we had last time.
"They like to say oh look this agreement doesn't expire till the end of June.
"That's true, but why can't we sort it out before the election?"
The Health Department says it will monitor the situation at Geraldton Hospital today to ensure patients are not affected.
It has agreed to meet the union once a fortnight to negotiate an offer.
