UK GOVERNMENT ABANDONS NI HEALTH WORKERS
The Secretary of State had an opportunity last night to put a proposal to striking health workers which would have allowed us to suspend industrial action.
Instead, neither he nor any NIO representative turned up at the meeting and the local health leadership simply stated that it did not have any money with which to make an offer.
Consequently, thousands of health workers will now take 24 hour strikes across the system on 31st March and 3rd April.
There is deep anger that our members are once again being left behind as health workers in England, Scotland and Wales vote on pay offers. It is utterly unacceptable that no offer has been made to Northern Ireland health workers and that no pathway to negotiations currently exists to resolve this dispute.
"Anne Speed, Head of Bargaining at UNISON and lead negotiation for trade unions said "we will not be bounced from pillar to post. Last night we were told that we must wait until the outcome of the pay consultation in England before we know whether the health budget in N Ireland will be drip fed any money or alternatively we must wait until the Secretary of State makes up his mind on the delivery date for the N Ireland budget"
The Regional Secretary Patricia McKeown said "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 N Ireland.
At the same time local politicians cannot stay silent. We cannot accept that playing political games takes precedence over the rights of health workers and their patients alike. All Parties can expect to hear from angry health workers in the coming days".