The union and Hunter Health have been in dispute for more than a year over controversial ‘‘balanced’’ nursing rosters due to start operating early next month.

The union says the new system is inflexible but Hunter Health says the days of nurses choosing their rosters to fit around their social lives or their spouses are over.

The union has helped Hunter Health develop the new rosters, but union organiser Nola Scilinato said the first roster produced by Hunter Health breached agreed guidelines.

Union members had met at John Hunter and other workplaces this week and a secret ballot for ‘‘escalating industrial action’’ had been planned for today.

Hunter Health raised an urgent dispute yesterday before deputy president Rod Harrison, who told the union it should have brought its worries back to him rather than opt for the threat of industrial action.

He issued a formal recommendation for the union to abandon any industrial action and adjourned the hearing until 10.30am on Monday.

Hunter Health director of clinical operations, Tracey McCosker, said afterwards that patient care was the first principle in building the rosters.

‘‘We look at the number and type of positions needed in each shift and then select the people to meet that,’’ Ms McCosker said.

She said the silent majority of nurses appeared to accept the need for change but some were still thinking they could ‘‘get whatever shifts they want’’.

‘‘We’ve had people come in and say, my husband is a coalminer, here’s his shifts for the month, I need mine to work around his,’’ Ms McCosker said.

State nurses’ union secretary Brett Holmes said the new roster should be delayed as an act of goodwill.

Despite the commission ruling, Mr Holmes said members were ready to vote to suspend tasks including clerical work, cleaning and food services.