'We are fighting for the future of our NHS': Strike action in freezing cold in Derry, Strabane & Limavady

Co-ordinated strike action saw health and social care workers who are members of Unison, NIPSA and GMB arriving from 12am on Monday at picket lines across Northern Ireland, including outside hospitals in Derry, Strabane and Limavady.

Striking teams including nurses, ambulance staff, health workers, clinical, professional and administrative staff from all disciplines said they were determined to highlight the plight they face.

They were joined by members in other health settings and in the community throughout Monday.

The unions rejected a delayed pay uplift offer and said staff were demoralised and angry. The Western Trust has postponed over 600 appointments and closed a number of services locally as it advised patients of a range of services impacted.

A spokesperson for Unison said it “stands ready to negotiate. In the absence of a devolved government we wait to see if the Secretary of State cares enough about Northern Ireland health workers and patients to open talks.”

NIPSA Deputy General Secretary, Pádraig Mulholland, stated: “The health service heroes who fought the COVID pandemic are now fighting for the future of our health service. They know this is a fight we cannot afford to lose. Either we win or our health service will continue to degrade and be at the mercy of the money grabbing profiteers.

“It is time to fight on the key points in this dispute. We must have inflation busting pay rises for all health service workers and an end to the chronic understaffing that puts lives at risk. We cannot have a decent health service if thousands of posts are vacant and the staff are living in poverty.

“We are calling on all trade unions to rally to this cause. We are calling on all workers to join the fight to defend the health service our predecessors give us. Workers in all areas and industries are fighting to defend their livelihoods. United action, with all workers fighting together, can ensure we defend public services and build a decent society.”

Speaking from the picket line in Derry this morning, People Before Profit Councillor Maeve O'Neill said: "Health and social care workers deserve an above inflation pay increase. It is a failure of government that workers have had to take strike action again for the pay increase they deserve.

"Health and social care workers gave their all during the pandemic, sacrificing so much for the health of the community. But staff have been rewarded by a further real time pay cut, whilst prices increase, meaning staff are struggling to pay their bills, despite their hard work and dedication.

"Safe staffing demands have not been addressed and instead we have a further dependency on agency workers, having haemorrhaged staff in the last few years like never before.

"It has been a political choice to underfund the health and social care service, allowing for privatisation of our NHS. Staff are not only striking for pay, but are also fighting for the future of the NHS. People Before Profit fully stand in solidarity with striking workers."