Union confirms its discussing resumption of industrial action over Health Minister’s failure to address issue of poverty pay
Northern Ireland now only part of UK where healthcare workers have not received a recommended one percent pay increase
October 15th: Unite Regional Officer, Kevin McAdam, called on the public to come out and support a protest at Belfast City Hall this Saturday (October 17th at 2pm) called to express solidarity with Junior Doctors over a new contract which extends their working week and reduces their pay.
“The Tory Government is intent on breaking up the NHS and opening ever-more provision to private companies whose sole interest is making profits. The price of this policy is being paid by healthcare workers forced to work longer for less and patients offered no alternative but to pay for private provision.
“NHS professionals here in Northern Ireland are the only ones in the UK still waiting for the one percent increase recommended by the Independent Pay Body for the 2014-15 tax year. Indeed, Unite is still awaiting a response from hokey-cokey Minister Simon Hamilton to our members’ pay claim for the 2015-16 year.
“The failure of the Minister to address the issue of poverty pay has meant the incomes of Northern Ireland healthcare workers have declined in real terms by 15 per cent since 2010.
“Unite healthcare representatives, including those in the NI Ambulance Service, are now actively considering resuming industrial action. Perhaps if the Minister won’t meet us in his office, we might meet him on his own picket line!
“Healthcare professionals are walking away in their droves because they can no longer afford to work for the service or take the mounting work pressures caused by ever greater cutbacks and recruitment freezes. This Saturday’s protest offers members of the public the chance to demonstrate their support for the NHS and its hard-working healthcare workers”, Mr McAdam concluded.
