Junior doctors ramped up the pressure on the Tories over NHS pay after announcing a 72-hour strike last week. They will walk out for three days from Monday 13 March. The BMA doctors’ union says it wants an increase that will make up for the real terms pay cut of 26 percent over the past 15 years.
In a further escalation, ambulance workers in the Unison union announced they will strike on Wednesday of next week with health workers at several hospitals in Liverpool and beyond joining them. And on 22 March physiotherapists at 56 NHS trusts plan to strike. Then ambulance workers in the GMB and Unite unions are out in England on Monday 6 March.
But the battle for NHS pay also received a setback last week. Leaders of the nurses’ RCN union called off a planned 48-hour strike scheduled for this week in order to enter “a process of intensive talks” with the Tories.
The government offered absolutely nothing in return. Many RCN activists reacted to the news with fury. One said, “I think it’s weak to suspend strikes. We need to pursue them at least until we get an offer.”
And other health unions say the RCN leaders appear to be pursuing their own pay agenda separately from the rest of the NHS. The feeling among strikers is that all unions should fight together and that strike together.
SOS NHS demo, Sat 11 March, 12 noon, Warren Street tube, London
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