A striking Liverpool Unison member and NHS worker
Like in many trusts around the country, NHS workers in Liverpool are feeling the pinch of the cost-of-living crisis and pressures of unsafe staffing levels. Despite being hailed as heroes during the Covid pandemic, according to Tory health secretary Steve Barclay, NHS workers are not deserving of an above-inflation pay rise.
Tory threshold
In Unison’s NHS pay ballot, around 81,000 members countrywide returned a ‘yes’ vote for strike action, but most branches didn’t clear the Tory anti-democratic turnout threshold. Liverpool Hospitals was one of the few branches that did so, with a turnout of 50.1%. 97% voted in favour of taking strike action!
Unison has confirmed that ten other health branches in the country, which fell just short of the threshold, will be reballoted. This includes Liverpool Women’s Hospital, which achieved around a 45% turnout.
Taking strike action is a last resort, but workers feel that we’ve been left with no choice after being continuously insulted with derisory pay offers by the government. Low pay means staff have to use food banks, and they are leaving the NHS in droves, leaving wards dangerously understaffed. Poor salaries also mean that the NHS cannot attract workers to fill the thousands of vacant posts needed for hospitals to run safely.
Picket lines at Liverpool’s Royal, Broadgreen, Aintree and Heart and Chest hospitals were very well attended with an almost party-like atmosphere. The mood was high and staff very determined to fight for the pay rise we deserve.
A broad section of workers stood alongside each other, including nurses, therapists, paramedics, security guards, pharmacy technicians, stores operatives and admin staff.
Workers required to provide essential cover and members of other unions showed solidarity by standing on the picket line during their lunch breaks. Members of Unite, FBU and RCN also attended in solidarity.
Tooting horns
The strike was well supported by the public, with drivers tooting their horns, including the fire brigade and police. People turned up with food and drink for the pickets.
A recurring talking point on the picket was why the union leaders opted against coordinating strike dates with other unions, which would have maximised impact and avoided workers feeling forced to cross each other’s picket lines.
