UNISON’s general secretary Christina McAnea met health workers at Northampton General Hospital today (Tuesday 8 November) as NHS staff vote on industrial action over pay.
Porters, nurses, security guards, paramedics, cleaners, midwives, occupational therapists and other NHS staff have had a pay award of just 72p per hour. This is nowhere near what workers need to survive the current cost of living – and it will do nothing to address the staffing crisis which has led to 132,000 unfilled vacancies in England alone.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Striking is the last thing dedicated health workers in Northampton and across the East Midlands want to do. But with services in such a dire state, and staff struggling to deliver for patients with fewer colleagues than ever, many feel like the end of the road has been reached.
“Strikes across the NHS this winter are not inevitable. The government must start to tackle the growing workforce crisis with an inflation-busting pay rise and get the NHS back on the long road to recovery”.
UNISON East Midlands head of health Gareth Eales said: “For years we have had below inflation increases and it’s taken its toll with surveys showing large numbers of our members using foodbanks and thousands of vacancies remaining unfilled. A decent pay offer would help tackle the health service’s recruitment and retention crisis.”