By Richard Johnstone | 24 November 2014
Workers across the NHS have today taken strike action in protest at a government decision to not award a cost-of-living pay increase to all members of staff.
Members of nine trade unions, including the Royal College of Midwives, the British Association of Occupational Therapists and Unison, stopped work in every major hospital in England in the four-hour stoppage from 7.00am, the unions said.
The strike is in protest at Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s decision to not award all health service employees the 1% pay increase recommended by the independent pay review body. Instead, only those not receiving increases through progression will get the rise.
The action, which is the second four-hour strike in less than two months, will now be followed by staff working to rule for the rest of this week.
Speaking after the strike was completed, Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said that the action had not been taken lightly.
‘Patient safety is paramount and this is why workers stopped for just four hours,’ he said.
‘The growing public support for health workers is overwhelming. They understand health workers are being reasonable. We are not talking big money or bonuses here.’
It was irresponsible of the government to not be negotiating to end the dispute, he added.
‘Their behaviour is in danger of putting patients and the public at risk.’
