NHS workers set to strike hits 500,000

26 September 2014

Up to nine different unions are set to participate in the strike, including Unison which represents 300,000 health care workers in the UK.

Those striking in the NHS include nurses, midwives, occupational therapists and paramedics. The walk-out will take place from 7 to 11am on October 13.

Industrial action short of a strike, including not working unpaid overtime, and insisting on taking resting breaks, will take place for the following four days.

The strike comes in response to staff being denied a 1% pay rise, and will be the first time in 32 years that the NHS is hit by industrial action.

The decision to deny the 1.3 million healthcare workers the pay rise disregarded recommendations from the NHS Pay Review Body. The review body recommended that the NHS could afford the pay rise, despite severe budget squeezes.

Ed Milliband announced a policy to fund the NHS with £2.5bn a year, partly from extra taxes on tobacco companies and mansions, at Labour party conference.

A Survation poll for LaboutList of 1,037 people shows that 72% of the public are in favour of the policy, with only 12% against.

Other public sector workers will also be striking in response to pay freezes. Local government workers will be striking on October 14, and PCS has announced plans for up to 250,000 members to strike on October 15.

Taking into account pay cuts, the increase in monthly pension contributions, and inflation, many civil servants have lost 20% of their income since 2010, according to PCS.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said: “These strikes show we are serious about bringing an end to pay cuts that have slashed the living standards of public servants while the super rich have been rewarded with tax cuts.

The week of industrial action takes place in the week leading up to the TUC’s Britain Needs a Payrise march and rally on Saturday 18 October.