Unite members will join Northern Ireland-wide strike action by health trade unions for 48 hours from 00.01 Thursday 21st September
Unite the union has served a seven-day notice of planned strike action by health and social care workers across Northern Ireland. The strike is the latest in an ongoing dispute for fair pay and safe staffing. NHS workers in Northern Ireland have been denied a pay increase provided to health workers in England and Wales.
The strike will begin at 00.01am on Thursday 21st September and will continue for 48 hours. Unite’s striking members represent the full range of health service staff including paramedics, pharmacists, health visitors and community practitioners. Unite members are set to join other health trade unions in the biggest strike action in the NHS in Northern Ireland for many years.
Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham said:
“It is disgraceful that NHS workers in Northern Ireland are denied the same pay increase offered in England and Wales. NHS workers in Northern Ireland face being left the poor relation in a two-tier service – a situation which will worsen recruitment and retention pressures and deepen the staffing crisis.”
“NHS workers can count on the full support of Unite in their fight to secure pay justice and safe staffing.”
Lead regional officer for Unite in Health is Kevin McAdam who stated:
“Northern Ireland NHS workers cannot and will not accept second-class pay. Low pay is driving a staffing crisis that is undermining our health service. Lost services mean unacceptable delays and barriers for those needing life-saving treatments and pressure to ‘go private’. The resulting reliance on private sector recruitment agencies and locum staffing poses unsustainable costs to the public purse.”
“The fight of NHS workers for fair pay and safe staffing is the fight to save our NHS. We are calling on the public to get behind the health workers and show their solidarity. This fight is a fight for all.”
