Health and social care staff representatives lobbied MPs in Westminster yesterday (July 1) calling for fair pay.
Union leaders took part in the lobby as part of the joint-union “All Together for the NHS” campaign co-ordinated by the TUC.
Staff are urging MPs to reward workers properly following the government´s decision that hundreds of thousands of staff receiving automatic “progression-in-job” increases will not get a 1% cost of living increase recommended by the independent NHS Pay Review Body for 2014-2015.
Yesterday´s action followed a call from Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing to members to target their MPs.
Speaking at the union´s conference last month Dr Carter branded Ministers´ decision on pay “ruthless” but urged members not to push for a strike. He highlighted the 11.5% pay rise MPs got following a review of their pay and called on members to lobby their MPs.
Health unions Unison and Unite have balloted members on industrial action.
Dr Carter said: “The government claims that cutting the pay of its hardworking and loyal staff is the only way to afford the NHS, but this is simply not true. We should not be forced to choose between fair nursing pay, and the proper funding of the NHS.
“No one is denying that times have been tough and that difficult decision needed to be made. However, nurses have already endured a pay restraint since 2010.
“They’ve cared for record numbers of patients through the most disruptive reorganisation in the history of the NHS and in the face of huge workforce cuts. They deserve to be valued and appreciated.”
MPs will be lobbied in their constituencies on July 4 as part of the “All Together for the NHS” campaign.
