Over 11,500 allied health workers to strike amid pay and staffing concerns

New Zealand’s public health system is bracing for one of its largest strikes in years, as more than 11,500 allied health workers prepare to walk off the job for 24 hours from midnight on October 23.

The Public Service Association (PSA), which represents the workers, confirmed the strike after members voted overwhelmingly in favour of action, citing unsafe staffing levels, excessive workloads, and pay offers that they say fail to keep pace with rising living costs.

“Allied health staff are deeply concerned about chronic underfunding of the sector,” PSA vice-president and occupational therapist Dianna Mancer said. “This isn’t just about our wellbeing – it’s about patient care. Short-staffing and budget cuts are stretching the system thin.”

Allied health professionals cover more than 60 roles, including physiotherapists, social workers, occupational therapists, anaesthetic technicians, and Māori health specialists. Many say they are forced into double shifts to cover shortages, raising concerns about sustainability and safety.

The current offer from Health NZ Te Whatu Ora is a 2% pay rise, followed by 1.5% over 30 months, a deal the PSA argues amounts to a real pay cut when compared with inflation.

The strike will take place alongside industrial action by 40,000 primary school teachers, signalling a growing wave of collective action across New Zealand’s public services. Health Minister Simeon Brown has criticised the strikes, calling them “deliberate politicking by our unions” and warning of disruptions to operations such as hip, knee, and cataract surgeries.

Union leaders, however, say the walkout is about safeguarding the future of public health. “There are simply not enough health workers to provide the level of care New Zealanders need,” PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said.