NHS staff to strike over pay

UNISON members will stage a four-hour stoppage between 7am and 11am on Monday October 13th.

This will be followed by four days of action short of a strike between Tuesday 14th and Friday October 17th when members will take their scheduled breaks.

A strong 68% voted yes for industrial action and 88% to action short of strike action in a ballot which closed on September 18th.
Paul Foley, UNISON North West’s Head of Health said: “NHS workers cannot keep taking year after year of cuts to their living standards.

“It is over 30 years since the last strike over pay in the health service and our members feel there is no option but to take action now.

“Health staff have lost thousands of pounds over the past five years and many are struggling to pay household bills. Low pay in the NHS is creating problems of staff recruitment and retention that will inevitably impact on patient care.

“All services will be affected by the strike but we will work with employers to ensure that there will be cover for essential and emergency services.

“It’s not too late for Jeremy Hunt to act to avoid strike action. To date, the Secretary of State has refused to meet with health unions for pay talks without strings. We remain ready and willing to negotiate at any time.”