NHS trade unions plan more strikes as pay dispute escalates

19 Dec 14
NHS trade unions in England have announced two new days of strike action in January and February in an escalation of pay dispute with government.

By Richard Johnstone | 19 December 2014

NHS trade unions in England have announced two new days of strike action in January and February in an escalation of pay dispute with government.

The  trade unions, which include the Royal College of Midwives, the British Association of Occupational Therapists and Unison, announced today that members in England will walk out for 12 hours between 9am and 9pm on January 29, and then for a 24-hour period on February 24.

In between these days of strike action, staff will work to rule by not working any unpaid overtime and taken all breaks they are entitled to.
NHS staff have already taken staged two four-hour stoppages in October and November.

The action 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 received the rise this year, and a similar decision is planned for next year.

Unison’s head of health Christina McAnea said the dispute was ‘here to stay’ unless the government and NHS employers are prepared to negotiate.

‘We now have no option but to escalate and plan for longer strikes,’ she said.

‘The anger among health workers has reached levels where they are now ready to walk out for 24 hours. NHS staff have been singled out by this coalition government for the worst treatment across the public sector.’

McAnea highlighted that today was likely to be the busiest day in the NHS with ambulance and accident and emergency staff being put under huge pressure to deal with the fallout from the many Christmas parties taking place across the country.  

‘We have decided not to take strike action over the Christmas period as services are already at breaking point at this time. Our members are demonstrating their concern for patient safety. I only wish the employers and government would do the same.’

The value of pay packets for the more than 450,000 Unison members in the NHS had fallen by around 10% over the life of this parliament due to public sector pay restraint, she added.

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