Canterbury nurses will join thousands of healthcare workers across New Zealand today in a nationwide strike, voicing concerns over patient safety and working conditions.

Around 36,000 nurses, midwives, and health care assistants, under Te Whatu Ora, are participating in the strike, which comes after the health agency proposed pausing key elements of the Care Capacity Demand Management (CCDM) programme during recent collective bargaining.

The programme is crucial for determining safe staffing levels based on patient care needs, nurses say.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) said the pause poses significant risks to both patient and staff wellbeing.

“Patients will pay the price for hospitals that are continuously understaffed and under-resourced,” said NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter.

The strike also highlights dissatisfaction with a proposed wage increase of just 1% of total employee costs, starting in April 2025—a figure that nurses argue is far below inflation and amounts to a pay cut. Goulter warned this could worsen the exodus of New Zealand nurses to Australia.

Christchurch nurse Debbie Handisides said the strike is critical for ensuring a sustainable future for healthcare workers and the patients they care for.

“This strike is for our future nurses and healthcare. With Te Whatu Ora’s proposed parameters, nursing will no longer be a viable career for many, and patient care will suffer,” Handisides said.

A rally is taking place today at Hagley Park from 11am to 2.30pm, with buses transporting striking nurses from Waipapa, Burwood, and Hillmorton Hospitals.