Speaking ahead of a Stormont Health Committee meeting which will vote on a proposal from People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll to oppose a 3% pay offer to health workers, Gerry said:
“I am urging everyone to call on the Stormont Health Committee to vote for my proposal tomorrow to oppose the measly 3% pay offer for our health heroes, and to demand the real pay rise that all trade unions are united in demanding.
“With inflation set to reach 4%, this pay offer is an effective pay cut. As the price of food, energy and other bills rise, this is simply unacceptable. Health workers have every right to be angry; after working through a pandemic, many are being told they’re not worth a decent wage.
“Moreover, we should all be furious about this because we all have a huge stake in how they are treated. Disrespect for health workers disrespects everyone of us dependent on the health service.
“So we need to up the level of noise and agitation around this, to make sure the voices of health workers are amplified and cannot be ignored. I am doing this on the health committee tomorrow but we need to do it on the streets and in our trade unions, too.
“We can build pressure on the Stormont Executive to reject the Tory approach of telling workers there is no money for a real pay rise while they stuff money into the bank accounts of the rich and powerful.
“Better pay and conditions are what health and social care workers deserve but it’s also key to driving up recruitment to save the health service. We can’t allow Westminster and Stormont to destroy the health service so that a handful of profiteers can become billionaires.
“Join me in demanding no pay cuts for health and social care workers. The Stormont Executive must deliver a real pay rise now. Save our health service.”
ENDS