BETTER PAY KEY TO SOLVING NHS STAFFING CRISIS, SAYS UNISON

Health workers in UNISON Northern Ireland will be joining the Cost of Living Crisis protest at Stormont on Saturday June 25th.

UNISON will be bringing our message that we are demanding an inflation busting pay rise.

Across the UK our union is mobilising from June 18th onwards to drive home a clear message that our members are determined to secure better pay. A pay review body announcement is expected shortly but this is expected to fall far short of what workers need and expect.

There is a clear message to be delivered not only to the Westminster government that they must put enough funding on the table to sustain decent pay but there is also a message to NI politicians that they will be expected to make sure that health workers demands are met.

Commenting on the NHS Reality Check report just published by NHS Providers, looking at the pressures facing trusts as they struggle to provide patient care, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“Shortages of staff across the NHS are nothing new. But the pandemic has taken the stress and strain caused by huge vacancy rates to a whole new level.

“Without more midwives, porters, healthcare assistants, paramedics, nurses and other health workers crucial to the NHS, delays to patient treatment, long waits for ambulances and cancelled operations will remain the norm.

“Better pay could stop experienced staff leaving for jobs in hospitality and retail where wages are higher and the work much less stressful.

“The government really should help resolve these shortages. With the pay review body due to hand over its evidence this week, ministers must do their bit and put NHS pay right.

“Otherwise, the staffing crisis continues, and more people will be anxiously waiting in pain for treatment.”