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‘Amazing’ public support for second wave of NHS strikes over fair pay By Kat Keogh Katie Osborne

@katkeogh and @NS_reporter

JOHN HOULIHAN

Thousands of nurses and midwives in England have vowed to continue the fight for fair pay after staging their second strike in six weeks. Members of four unions – the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), Unison, the GMB and Unite – took part in a four-hour walkout this week in protest at the government’s decision to deny them a 1 per cent cost of living pay rise. The action is a repeat of a strike on October 13 and marks only the second time in the RCM’s 133-year history that members have taken part in industrial action. The English government’s position is at odds with the recommendation Maternity support worker Debbie Priceman was among those on strike at St James’s Hospital in Leeds of the independent NHS Pay Review our members. We do not think that is Body (RB) that a 1 per cent increase London regional officer Francine Allen too much to ask. The public support should apply across the workforce. said members will take action short of was amazing with people hooting their a strike until Saturday, including taking Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said horns as they drove by.’ such an award is unaffordable, on top their breaks and putting in claims to be RCM chief executive Cathy of the incremental pay rises to which paid for any overtime they work. Warwick said: ‘This is not about staff are entitled as they progress She said: ‘We often work long shifts our members demanding huge through their pay band. without being able to take a break. We banker-sized bonuses, or asking Last week health unions in cannot leave our patients and if there is for the similarly large bonuses and Wales struck a deal with the Welsh insufficient staffing, we do not leave. pay increases given to many senior Government to give all staff ‘For midwives, there is a public managers in the on Agenda for health issue of healthy mothers and NHS. It is about our babies that lasts for a lifetime, and Change a 1 per THE GOVERNMENT members having to cent pay rise when you have tired workers who are IS JUST NOT fight just to get the in 2015. not paid their dues, it does not help.’ LISTENING TO US very modest 1 per The Scottish The November 24 stoppage marked – Lynn Galvin cent pay award. Government the start of a second wave of industrial ‘As before, our has paid the RB action by all four unions. representatives in every area have recommended 1 per cent in full. Unison members are working to worked with hospitals to ensure safe Among those taking part in strike rule from November 25-30. services will be available to women action were RCM regional officer for Unite has imposed a much longer in need of urgent care, such as those Yorkshire and Humber Lynn Galvin, work-to-rule campaign, with eight in labour. Our dispute is not with the who joined the picket lines outside St weeks of action ending on January 19. women for whom midwives care, it is James’s University Hospital in Leeds. The RCN did not take part in with employers telling midwives they Ms Galvin said: ‘This is important the industrial action, but instead is are not worth a 1 per cent pay rise.’ because the government is just not urging members of the public to ask Midwives picketed St Thomas’ listening to us. All we are asking is for their MPs to sign an early day motion Hospital in London, and RCM a 1 per cent permanent rise for all of condemning Jeremy Hunt’s decision.

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'Amazing' public support for second wave of NHS strikes over fair pay.

Thousands of nurses and midwives in England have vowed to continue the fight for fair pay after staging their second strike in six weeks...
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