Category: Northern Ireland

Health members in Northern Ireland to strike for pay parity

UNISON health members in Northern Ireland will be taking strike action over two days this week, in protest at the continued lack of a pay offer for 2022/23.

The walk out, over the 48-hour period of Thursday 21 and Friday 22 September, will involve ambulance crews, nurses, health care assistants, pharmacists, radiographers, porters, admin and technical staff, cleaners and catering staff.

Payroll staff will strike for a shorter period, to ensure their co-workers receive their pay on time – a decision commended by their union colleagues.

The action is due to increasing frustration that NI health workers are falling behind their colleagues in England and Wales, who accepted an NHS pay offer from their employers in April. That offer included an extra lump sum for 2022/23 and a new offer of a 5% increase for 2023/24.

The devolved government’s department of health has failed to extend the same offer to Northern Ireland.

A UNISON NI statement said: “UNISON members in the health service are fed up with the current impasse in their just pursuit of pay parity.

“They have decided not to remain silent as politicians dither and delay a resolution of their political differences. They have resolved to continue demanding that the secretary of state use his powers of economic governance to include funding for the restoration of pay parity.

“NHS workers in England and Wales had their pay uplift from April this year. Why should health staff in Northern Ireland have to wait?

“No amount of finger pointing at local politicians justifies this appalling situation. UNISON members have no intention of staying silent or just putting up with it.”

 

 

The article Health members in Northern Ireland to strike for pay parity first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Health members in Northern Ireland to strike over lack of pay parity

UNISON health members in Northern Ireland will be taking strike action over two days this week, in protest at the continued lack of a pay offer for 2022/23.

The walk out, over the 48-hour period of Thursday 21 and Friday 22 September, will involve ambulance crews, nurses, health care assistants, pharmacists, radiographers, porters, admin and technical staff, and domestic assistants.

Payroll staff will strike for a shorter period, to ensure their co-workers receive their pay on time – a decision commended by their union colleagues.

The action is due to increasing frustration that NI health workers are falling behind their colleagues in England and Wales, who accepted an NHS pay offer from their employers in April. That offer included an extra lump sum for 2022/23 and a new offer of a 5% increase for 2023/24.

However in the absence of a devolved government in Northern Ireland, and without funding being made available by the secretary of state Chris Heaton-Harris, no offer has been made to health workers there. 

A UNISON NI statement said: “UNISON members in the health service are fed up with the current impasse in their just pursuit of pay parity.

“They have decided not to remain silent as politicians dither and delay a resolution of their political differences. They have resolved to continue demanding that the secretary of state use his powers of economic governance to include funding for the restoration of pay parity.

“NHS workers in England and Wales had their pay uplift from April this year. Why should health staff in Northern Ireland have to wait?

“No amount of finger pointing at local politicians justifies this appalling situation. UNISON members have no intention of staying silent or just putting up with it.”

 

 

The article Health members in Northern Ireland to strike over lack of pay parity first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON Northern Ireland pauses health strike after government offer of talks

UNISON Northern Ireland has paused today’s planned strike action by healthcare workers following the decision by the government to come to the negotiating table.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Department of Health representatives have agreed to meet health unions on Wednesday.

UNISON demanded confirmation that such a meeting will be a “genuine engagement” and will result in negotiation to produce a meaningful offer it can take to members.

The move comes after four months of industrial action, including four full-day strikes across the health and social services system. Hundreds of healthcare staff across Northern Ireland went on strike last Friday, 31 March.

UNISON Northern Ireland secretary Patricia McKeown said on Friday: “Our members’ determination to escalate strike action today and again on Monday finally got the message through to those in power. Health workers across Northern Ireland will not be left behind.

“The mood of strikers at Belfast City Hall this morning, outside the Secretary of State’s office, and on picket lines across Northern Ireland is one of utter determination to secure their rights.

“They never take industrial action lightly. They care about our health and social services and the public they serve, but they have been driven to the brink.

“Their message now is equally clear– this must be real, or the strike action will escalate.”

The article UNISON Northern Ireland pauses health strike after government offer of talks first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Government inaction means NI health strikes continue

Health strikes in Northern Ireland continue today and next week, after a meeting on Monday between trade unions and local health leadership provided no progress in the dispute.

UNISON announced that planned 24-hour strikes in Northern Ireland, involving thousands of health workers, will go ahead today, 31 March, and also on 3 April. This came after unions were informed that local health leadership did not have any money with which to make an increased pay offer.

It comes as a direct result of the Department of Health failing to extend the new NHS pay offer made in England and Wales, earlier in March, to Northern Ireland. That offer included an extra lump sum for 2022/23 and a new offer of a 5% increase for 2023/24.

An increased offer would have allowed unions to suspend the strikes and begin consultation with their members. However, neither the secretary of state nor any officials from the Northern Ireland office attended the meeting with unions.

UNISON Northern Ireland head of bargaining Anne Speed said: “We will not be bounced from pillar to post. Last night we were told we must wait until the outcome of the pay consultation in England before we know whether the health budget in Northern Ireland will be drip fed any money.

“Either that or, alternatively, we must wait until the secretary of state makes up his mind on the delivery date for the Northern Ireland budget.”

UNISON’s regional secretary for Northern Ireland, Patricia McKeown added: “UK ministers should know by now that workers in Northern Ireland will not tolerate being left behind. We proved it in the past and we will prove it again.

“The secretary of state holds the responsibility to sort this problem now, he cannot sit on the fence. He cannot blame anyone else. It is his government that has failed to make money available for health workers in Northern Ireland.”

The article Government inaction means NI health strikes continue first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: An electric atmosphere at Northern Ireland strikes

I arrived in Belfast last night, ready to spend today with striking health and care workers. After radio interviews with BBC Radio Ulster and Foyle, I arrived to a packed picket line.

Together, we marched from the Royal Victoria Hospital, joining other marchers on the way to a rally at Belfast City Hall. The atmosphere was electric. An energy driven by their determination to put an end to poverty pay and the silence from politicians in power.

Northern Ireland’s healthcare workers have taken a difficult decision to go on strike. So it’s no surprise they’re ready to be loud about the bold steps they’re taking.

From the stage at the rally, I looked out over the sea of purple and green UNISON flags and the colours of other unions. I could see the faces of the essential workers who have been treated by governments as dispensable, unimportant and as a nuisance.

My message to them was that UNISON is 100% behind them all, and that we’re in it for the long haul. The Prime Minister, the chancellor and the health secretary have gone into hiding. But they can’t stay there forever.

They must face the reality that they’re letting down millions of workers from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. That their political choices have caused hardship to workers and families, and are driving our public services into the ground.

UNISON will keep up the pressure on the Westminster government. Until they take responsibility, get round the negotiating table and deliver fair pay for our amazing members, we will remain resolute, organised and loud!

The article Blog: An electric atmosphere at Northern Ireland strikes first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Third day of NHS strikes in Northern Ireland

A third day of NHS strike action in Northern Ireland is taking place today (Tuesday), with thousands of UNISON members in the six arm’s length bodies of the health trust out on pickets, including staff at the Northern Ireland ambulance service.

Speaking of the dispute, Anne Speed, UNISON head of bargaining and representation in Northern Ireland, said: “While the political stalemate continues health staff and patients are paying a price.

“The inertia from the secretary of state speaks volumes. Taking direction from Westminster, who also appear to be doing nothing, is just not good enough.”

At 9:30am UNISON members in Belfast, joined by general secretary Christina McAnea, marched from their picket lines at the Royal Victoria Hospital, the City Hospital, Greenpark, the Mater Hospital and trust community sites across Belfast where they joined teaching unions in a solidarity rally at Belfast City Hall.

Here’s Christina McAnea speaking from a picket line in Belfast:

The article Third day of NHS strikes in Northern Ireland first appeared on the UNISON National site.

NHS staff across Northern Ireland take third day of action in strike over pay

Health and social service workers across Northern Ireland are staging a third 24-hour walkout tomorrow in the ongoing dispute about pay and staffing, says UNISON today (Monday).

Nurses, ambulance staff, healthcare assistants, homecare workers, porters and staff in other NHS roles will be on picket lines and joining marches to five rallies taking place across Northern Ireland tomorrow.

NHS and care staff in Northern Ireland have so far staged a one-day strike in December and another last month (26 January).

Tomorrow is the third time they will have walked out. They’ve also been taking action short of a strike (working to their contracts and not doing any overtime) for several weeks too.

UNISON says Tuesday’s strike could be halted if the Westminster government would only talk to health unions and come up with the goods for a pay rise to resolve the dispute.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea, who will be visiting various picket lines and speaking at a rally outside Belfast City Hall, said: “No ambulance or NHS worker wants to be taking action. But the number of vacancies has become so great that they can no longer deliver safe patient care or maintain quality services.

“Strikes won’t be called off until health workers’ wages are boosted this year and talks held to negotiate the next rise due in April.

“Governments in other parts of the UK have shown what it’s possible to achieve with dialogue, and a commitment to boosting pay and tackling the staffing emergency.

“Ministers must change gear, find the funds to invest in the workforce, improve wages and resolve the dispute in the best interests of staff, the NHS and patients.”

UNISON Northern Ireland head of health Anne Speed said: “While the political stalemate continues health staff and patients are paying the price.

“Politicians in Northern Ireland should roll up their sleeves and act together in the interests of the health service. They should put pressure on Rishi Sunak and Chris Heaton-Harris to release the funding that could help end this damaging dispute.”

Notes to editors: 
– At 9.30am on Tuesday, health workers will join a march, alongside UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea, that forms up from picket lines at the Royal Victoria Hospital, the City Hospital, Greenpark, the Mater Hospital and various other health locations across Belfast. They will head towards City Hall for a rally where they’ll be joined by teachers, who are also on strike tomorrow. Rallies are also taking place tomorrow in Bangor, Ballymena, Omagh and Derry.
– For media interviews with Christina McAnea while she’s in Belfast, contact John Patrick Clayton on 07508 080386.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the Ambulance sector. It has more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in Education, Local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts: 
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

 

The article NHS staff across Northern Ireland take third day of action in strike over pay first appeared on the UNISON National site.