UNISON Northern Ireland

UNISON MEMBERS AT CRAIGAVON, MUSGRAVE PARK AND OMAGH HOSPITALS TAKE STRIKE ACTION

Today (28th November) UNISON members at Craigavon, Musgrave Park and Omagh Hospitals will commence strike action over unsafe staffing levels and the lack of pay parity with NHS workers in Scotland, England and Wales. Strike action will continue at Belfast City Hospital.

Commenting on the continuing industrial action, UNISON Regional Secretary, Patricia McKeown said:
“Today the sterile services workers, porters and drivers who form the backbone of the health service will take strike action. Our members’ industrial action is intensifying and will continue until pay justice and safe staffing levels are delivered.

The Permanent Secretaries in the Departments of Health and Finance, alongside the Head of the Civil Service, have released an unprecedented joint statement in relation to this industrial action.

We call on them now to make the case directly to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Treasury for the funding that is required to achieve pay parity. That is the only way forward.”

All UNISON members across the entire health and social services system will today continue industrial action short of strike. Categories of staff taking this action will include nursing, ambulance service staff, support services staff, admin, clerical and managerial staff, social services and social care staff, professional and technical staff and all those staff working across the various health services agencies.

Today the following groups of UNISON members will take strike action:

• Staff working in sterile services and porters at Craigavon Area Hospital (walkout at 1pm)

• Staff working in sterile services at Musgrave Park Hospital (main picket at 9am)

• Staff working at sterile services at Omagh Hospital (main picket at 8am)

• Staff working in sterile services at Belfast City Hospital (main picket at 11am)