New Zealand sees one of its largest public sector strikes in history

Around 100,000 nurses, teachers and public sector workers staged a nationwide strike in New Zealand on October 23, demanding greater investment in health and education services. 

The protest, dubbed a “mega strike,” brought together more than 60,000 school teachers, 40,000 nurses and salaried medical specialists, and 15,000 other public service employees, as per British media.

Rallies took place across the country despite severe weather conditions forcing the cancellation of events in Wellington and some regions. Demonstrators held signs, chanted, and voiced frustration at the government’s handling of public services.

“Patients should not have to be harmed, or die, before things improve,” nurse Becks Kelsey told a rally in Auckland. Secondary school teacher Paul Stevens said many teachers were leaving the profession or emigrating because they felt undervalued.

The strike followed stalled collective bargaining with the coalition government. While each union had specific demands, complaints were broadly consistent: low pay, unsafe staffing levels, insufficient resources, and poor working conditions affecting both workers and the public.

Noreen McCallan, a nurse in Hawke’s Bay, warned that staff shortages were “overwhelming and exhausting,” leading to longer patient wait times. Teacher Liam Rutherford in Palmerston North said the government needed “serious investment in education, not just tinkering around the edges,” noting that recruitment and retention were threatened by the lure of better pay in Australia.

New Zealand’s health and education systems have faced growing pressure, with hospitals operating over capacity, long delays for treatment, and schools experiencing staffing shortfalls. At the same time, public funding has been cut, and dozens of pay equity claims have been cancelled. Many citizens, particularly teachers and healthcare workers, are moving to Australia for better opportunities.

The government condemned the strike as politically motivated. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described the protests as “a stunt,” while Public Service Minister Judith Collins said unions were “out on the street with megaphones” despite government offers at the negotiating table. Authorities warned that the action would disrupt services, with many schools closing and non-essential health services being reduced.

Despite government criticism, public support for the strike remains high. A Talbot Mills poll indicated that 65% of the public backed the industrial action, including nearly half of coalition voters. Opposition parties also supported the strike, with Labour leader Chris Hipkins accusing Luxon of prioritising corporate pay rises and subsidies to tobacco companies over public services, leaving health and education systems under strain.

By Tamilla Hasanova