Strike ballot opens tomorrow after union members’ request to join the industrial action signalled by other health unions

Unite will ballot four thousand NHS members including psychologists, speech and language therapists, pathology laboratory staff, community nurses, pharmacists and support staff.

Unite in Health’s four thousand members across the health service in Northern Ireland will tomorrow [Monday 18 November] commence an industrial action ballot seeking to join the other trade unions who are campaigning to ensure NHS staff here are not left behind the rest of their colleagues in the United Kingdom.

Members of the union are being balloted on strike action and other forms of industrial action with the aim of putting pressure on the Department of Health to ensure that the additional money which has been given by the Treasury in order to support recruitment and improve staff retention is delivered to our hard working health staff in Northern Ireland.

Kevin McAdam lead officer for Health explained the strike ballot action:

“We are responding to our members’ request to join the industrial action signalled by other trade unions in the health sector. We are confident we will get a resounding response to the ballot that will say clearly to the Department of Health – our members are worth the same as their colleagues across the water. Our patients deserve the same treatment. We must stop the drain from our heath service in Northern Ireland. We won’t be left behind!”, Mr McAdam concluded.

Unite the union represents staff in the health service at all levels including psychologists, speech and language therapists, pathology laboratory staff, community nurses, pharmacists, support staff including estates maintenance transport and many others. The ballot opens on 18 November and the outcome will be known on 2 December 2019.