Society of Radiographers rep
Members of the Society of Radiographers (SOR), like other professional health workers, are not used to industrial militancy. Last year, our leadership organised a consultative ballot with little more than a notice on the union website. Unsurprisingly, less than 30% responded, and our members had no opportunity to demonstrate our anger at the pitiful pay offer.
With regional branches it’s not easy for the rank and file to be heard, but pressure from below saw online activist meetings forcing the leadership to hear how we feel. This time round it was clear: the majority rejected the 5% offer for 2023-24, in a consultation which reps organised for. It made the Tory anti-strike 50% turnout threshold.
Going into a formal ballot, ending 28 June, we are getting concrete support from the national leadership, with the clear message to reject and to take strike action.
But this is not just about pay, it’s about job retention and the recruitment crisis. With better pay we could attract staff to fill the 10%-plus staffing gap. And with more staff we could make a big dent in the waiting lists both for long-awaited operations and urgent diagnostic tests.
I’m encouraging our new reps to come to the National Shop Stewards Network conference, because together we can defeat this hated government and start rebuilding our NHS.
