Unite the Union, Ireland Region

Health budget so inadequate that Northern Ireland health workers are being denied pay increase offered in England and Wales

More than 4000 Unite members working in the health and social care service in Northern Ireland will join with colleagues from other health unions in one of the biggest strike actions in years to affect the service. The 48-hour strike will commence from 00.01am on Thursday lasting until midnight on Friday and is likely to impact health services across the region.

Workers are striking over being denied the same pay offer provided to NHS workers in England and Wales; an outcome which will leave Northern Ireland NHS workers paid less than those employed anywhere else in the UK.

Department of Health officials have told trade unions that they cannot pass on the ‘Barnett consequentials’, including extra funding, arising from the NHS pay increase in England to NHS workers in Northern Ireland because the overall budget set for the health service by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris is too low.

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said:

“It is scandalous that NHS workers – who only a couple of years ago were being clapped by our politicians – are once again forced onto picket lines. The blame for this lies squarely with the Conservative Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris who has enforced a punitive and completely inadequate budget on the health department.”

“At the time when the Health Service in Northern Ireland is losing critical services due to staffing pressures, health workers in the region once again face being left behind on pay. That will only make recruitment and retention of staff even more difficult and redouble the staffing crisis. Our members will have Unite’s full support in their fight for fairer pay.”