People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin,
“The proposal by the Tory Chancellor for a 1% pay increase for NHS workers is an insult. It is arrogance beyond belief for the Tories to claim this is a ‘good deal’.
The Tories cynically joined ‘claps’ for health workers throughout the pandemic because of their sacrifices on the frontline to keep us safe.
This is how that sacrifice is being rewarded.
The Stormont Executive forced nurses and health workers into all-out strike action just over a year ago for basic pay parity. The Executive parties have failed to follow through on a central commitment of the New Decade New Approach agreement to fix the staffing crisis in the health service. Nor are there any plans to do so.
This Tory pay announcement simply adds insult to injury for our healthcare heroes. We need to send the Tories and the Stormont Executive the message that this treatment cannot be accepted and cannot go on.
We believe nurses, health and social care workers have no option but to prepare for all-out strike action. All health and social care trade unions should stand united for a significant pay increase and make it clear they won’t back down. The RCN strike fund announcement is the right step to take.
People Before Profit will give our full backing plans for industrial action and will organise the broadest possible solidarity in support of our nurses and health workers. It’s the least they deserve.
Now is the time to prepare for people power resistance. This is the only thing the Tories and political establishment understand. This is a fight that can be won.”