NHS workers in Northern Ireland take to picket lines in strike
Wave of NHS strikes begins TODAY: Health workers in Northern Ireland brave freezing cold to man 24-hour picket lines in row over pay
- Members from Unison, Nipsa and GMB have taken to picket lines at hospitals
- Nurses will strike in Northern Ireland in as part of UK-wide action on Thursday
- READ MORE: Ambulance drivers ‘may refuse ‘life and limb care on strike days’
Health workers from three of Northern Ireland’s biggest unions today began a 24-strike in an escalation of their ongoing protest at pay and conditions.
Members of Unison, Nipsa and GMB all manned picket lines at hospitals and other facilities across the nation. The earliest staff to strike braved -2C (28F) conditions in Belfast at the stroke of midnight.
Today’s walk-out marks the first of NHS strikes this winter.
Nurses in Northern Ireland will walk-out as part of UK-wide action organised by the Royal College of Nursing on Thursday.
Health workers from three of Northern Ireland’s largest unions have begun a 24-strike in an escalation of their ongoing protest at pay and conditions. Pictured: Unison members stage a 24 hour strike outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast
Members from Unison, Nipsa (pictured) and GMB have taken to picket lines at hospitals and other health service facilities across the region
GMB union members stage a 24 hour strike outside the Belfast City hospital, Northern Ireland, today
Anne McGivern (left) pharmacy support worker and Kinga Majewska, student pharmacy technician RVH, join other Unison members at a staged 24 hour strike outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast
Stormont’s Department of Health announced that healthcare workers in Northern Ireland would receive a pay rise recommended by independent salary review bodies
Ambulance workers could refuse to provide ‘life and limb care’ on strike days because they are so frustrated with the Government, a union boss warned today.
Alan Lofthouse, of Unison, claimed individual NHS staff may choose not to save patients’ lives during the health service’s largest walk-out in 30 years.
Life and limb care refers to responding to critical medical events like a cardiac arrest or stroke.
More than 10,000 drivers and paramedics are set to strike on December 21 and 28 but are currently pledging to keep those vital services running.
But Mr Lofthouse, a former paramedic, threatened they could also be ditched by some staff who feel the Government is in a ‘war against them’.
No10’s spokesperson today admitted ‘paramedics going on strike will significantly reduce the amount of people’ able to get ambulances during the industrial action.
Last week, Stormont’s Department of Health announced healthcare workers in would receive a pay rise recommended by independent salary review bodies.
Unions said the increase was not enough and insisted strike action would continue.
The delayed pay rise move came after civil servants secured the legislative authority to make decisions on pay amid Stormont’s political impasse.
Decisions on other public sector employees, such as teachers, civil servants and police, are awaited.
The majority of health workers are to receive at least an additional £1,400 in pay while doctors and dentists will be given a 4.5 per cent rise.
The increases will come into effect before the end of the financial year and be backdated to April 1 this year.
The separate independent recommendations were made by the NHS Pay Review Body and Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration.
The announcement was always unlikely to have affected the industrial action planned by health workers, as NHS colleagues in Great Britain have voted to strike having already received the 2022/23 rises.
The lack of a devolved executive at Stormont had prevented the awards being made in Northern Ireland before the UK Government intervened last month to pass a budget for Stormont and hand civil servants extra powers.
Anne Speed, Unison’s Northern Ireland head of bargaining and representation, said she was proud of members for taking a stand.
‘In freezing temperatures and from early morning Unison members across the health service are stepping out and standing up for themselves in their just campaign for a decent pay rise,’ she said.
Long-awaited operations and appointments could still be postponed even if Christmas strikes are called off, NHS Deputy Chief Executive Miriam Deakin has said
‘The decision by Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris to include an extension of budgetary powers to allow the Department of Health to apply a below-inflation pay award will not provide health staff protection against inflation. Health staff remain adamant that a better deal should be delivered.
‘These workers deserve support. They are the ones who every day cope with all the difficulties of a depleted workforce. They are the ones who struggle to maintain patient safety in extremely challenging circumstances.
‘When they took action three years ago our frontline and nursing members demanded that steps be taken to tackle these issues. Notwithstanding the interruption of the Covid pandemic, we are back at that same spot.
‘How does a workforce cope when political leadership is absent?
‘We are very proud of our members for their courage and determination to bring to account those who should do better.
‘We also commend the action of those members of Nipsa and the GMB who will be on strike today.’
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