Write a commentDuring a day of torrential rain and strong winds Nurses from Newry and surrounds joined thousands of other health and social services staff throughout the north in a day of strike action over staffing and pay.
Action locally was based at Daisy Hill Hospital with participants marching through Newry this afternoon.
It's the latest in a series of protests following a ballot by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) which saw 96% of respondees voting to take industrial action. A NIPSA ballot saw voters 96.6% in favour of action. UNISON and Unite members also took part in todays day of action.
A UNISON representative commented “Everyone with power and authority in this society has conceded that our cause is just. We have had ‘sympathy’ from the UK Government through the Secretary of State, from all political parties that stood on our picket lines and from the leadership of the health service. But we have no resolution.
"UNISON has agreed emergency cover and our members have volunteered to provide it. We have never seen such determination in health workers who have been devalued and disrespected for almost 5 years. For 3 weeks they have stood up for their rights and have now put the health service at the top of the political agenda.
"Despite their sacrifice there is still no action from those in power. It would appear that health workers, patients and the public at large are being used as pawns in a political game.
The Deputy General Secretary of NIPSA Padraig Mullholland added “The strike on the 18th December will be hard hitting but our members have no choice but to defend our National Health Service, for too long members have held together a system that is in crisis so that our communities get a decent service.”
Further strike action is proposed for January, February and March if necessary.
