ANZASW stands firmly with social workers and every kaimahi across health and education who will strike today. Despite the weather disrupting rallies across the motu, our resolve stands unwavering, and our message remains clear.

Nathan Chong-Nee, Chief Executive of ANZASW asserts that “This is a day of action that will be a defining moment in our history. We refuse to accept a system that underpays, undervalues, and overburdens those who hold our communities together. Today, we stand united, unapologetic, and determined to demand the dignity, fairness, and investment our whānau deserve.”

Even in social work, we are seeing kaimahi drawn to better salaries and conditions in Australia. The lure of working within an overseas system that values workers and does not feel on the brink of collapse is increasingly attractive. We cannot blame these workers; instead, we blame government funding decisions and a deplorable underinvestment in health and education that have resulted in this predicament. 

We also call out the gendered nature of this issue – women are disproportionately represented in these professions, and women again are expected to go over and above without fair compensation. 

ANZASW cares deeply about the health and wellbeing of all across Aotearoa New Zealand. Aspirations and outcomes are directly impacted by access to and quality of health and education services. Aotearoa New Zealand’s commitment to delivering quality public services is a fundamental pou of our democracy, yet this commitment continues to be threatened under the Coalition Government. 

Minister Brown has questioned the ethics of this strike action. Minister Collins has publicly chastised workers’ motivations. However, we question the ethics of not taking a stand. “Painting this strike as reckless is gaslighting,” states Mr Chong-Nee, “The reality is clear: our sector is underpaid, undervalued, and on the brink of collapse. Pretending otherwise is a dangerous illusion that puts lives at risk.”
  
Our motivations are unmistakable: some elective surgeries may be postponed today, but every day whānau get sicker waiting hours in hospital corridors because there are no more beds, no more doctors, nurses, and nowhere safe for social workers to discharge those in hardship. “We will not be lectured on ethics by a Government that dismantled Fair Pay protections and silenced workers’ voices. Social workers are not striking to harm whānau. We strike with our allies because intolerable conditions and chronic underinvestment are harming whānau every day. This action is about restoring mana to our profession and hope to our communities, not the other way around” says Mr Chong-Nee.
  
Lives are being impacted by Ministers’ refusal to take action. “This solidarity has not been suddenly manufactured by Unions and Associations. It is woven from decades of neglect.” Says Mr Chong-Nee. 
  
Our profession prides itself on preventative and early intervention, however, our health and wider social service system increasingly reflects the beat-up ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. Without a strike and urgent action, we may see total public service failure. The cost will not be measured in dollars but in lives and communities left behind. Every delay deepens the wound of a policy failure and a breach of trust in our public systems.
  
ANZASW remains so very proud of our public sector and the workers who tirelessly dedicate their lives to this mahi, for the good of all. We implore the Government to hear their aspirations today, leave ego at the door, and rebuild our health and education system through meaningful investment that restores the dignity, respect and value of kaimahi.
  
Details of rally points across the motu today can be found on the PSA website and our ANZASW FB page
 

Nathan Chong-Nee, CE of ANZASW is available for media comment or interviews on request. He can be contacted at: nathan@anzasw.nz