“The Tory took away the NHS bursary” Staff members of the NHS are taking a stand against the government after decades of dedication to enhance healthcare
NHS has had its longest depute yet as this year alone over 10,000 people are striking in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for better pay and treatment.
Striking from NHS workers goes way back to the early 80’s, when Prime minister Margaret Thatcher famously promised “The NHS is safe with us”.
Workers were paid less than both skilled workers and the typical manual labourer, which led to partial strikes at some hospitals. At this time wages dropped 19% for NHS and local council employees. Leading many to poverty.
During the 2010’s nurses radiographers and ambulance drivers are known to have strike during their career at the NHS. Radiographers striking for over 2 years in 2012 after 30 years.
Mariam Begum, a diagnostic radiographer for over 11 years, who started and trained in the NHS shared her experience and thoughts on NHS staff striking.
Mariam shares “the NHS agreed to lock into a 5-year period where there was no pay rise”
“The Tory took away the NHS bursary”.
“This stops further people from retraining, people would struggle now to go back in even if they’ve got the correct experience and personality”.
At the time, Pat Cullen, its general secretary, said: “It will push more nurses and nursing support workers out of the profession.”
And now striking today, NHS employees have made it clear that they are unhappy with the government’s actions.
Since November 2022 nurses have been fighting for change. As part of a wave of nationwide NHS staff strikes over wage and safety issues, nurses at hospitals in Greater Manchester are demonstrating on the picket line. As part of the action requested by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), three trusts in the city-region will be absent from work.
Many NHS Foundation Trust take action to striking in Manchester
With the statistics cited above, NHS employees have demonstrated their right to strike after giving the government had time to find a better and more effective solution following lockdown.
After 3 years of Covid-19 and a serious lack of government support for the NHS, which had worked hard during a difficult time, staff members of the NHS have declared enough is enough. Pay cuts and unfair treatment led NHS staff to become incensed.
The government have offered.
· Doctors and dentist received a 4.5% increase in their salaries
· A £1,400 permanent increase to their full-time equivalent salary
· A one-off payment for 2022–2023, pay award
· And many more
However, trade unions representing some NHS workers rejected the offer. Unions say “it was too low in context of the rising cost of living crisis”
Union members also said health workers want to improve patients’ safety, which is being compromised by inadequate staffing levels and staff burnout.
If you need help or someone you know needs help as a NHS staff here are some websites to take a look at:
NHS England » Support available for our NHS people
Healthcare Workers’ Foundation — Home (healthcareworkersfoundation.org)