Nurse Maude support workers strike over sick‑leave cuts in New Zealand

Around 250 support workers employed by the community health provider Nurse Maude began industrial action on 31 July, protesting a proposed two‑day reduction in sick‑leave entitlements and the absence of a formal pay offer. The Public Service Association (PSA) said the strike, organised by its Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi sector, reflects broader concerns about worker protections after the Government’s new Employment Leave Act.

Strikes are scheduled for 31 July and 10 August, with pickets planned in Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Wellington, Porirua, Kāpiti, Nelson, Motueka, Blenheim, Rangiora, Christchurch and Lincoln. PSA representatives Melissa Woolley and Chris Ollington warned that cutting sick leave endangers both staff and the vulnerable clients they serve, especially older adults and people with disabilities who rely on home‑based care. The dispute highlights tension between the health sector’s need for a stable workforce and recent labour‑policy reforms, and it has drawn support from local doctors, families and community groups.