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From The Socialist newspaper, 27 January 2021
Health worker cooperation in the face of the pandemic
Demanding a 15% pay rise for NHS workers, 8th August 2020, Merthyr (Click to enlarge)
Maggie Fricker, University Hospital Southampton
It was with mixed feelings that I read my thank you letter from the hospital trust this week. Inside was a badge of honour, a lunch break voucher and a one-off extra day's leave.
But it has in fact been an amazing experience working here through Covid. Staff have come together and treated each other as a family. Petty differences have been forgotten, people ask you how you are doing and show little acts of kindness and support. We have made an extraordinary effort to be flexible, to innovate and make things work. Managers have listened and supported staff. We even have consultants turn up in the middle of the night to be part of the 'intensive care proning team'.
It's been a real glimpse of what is possible if we cooperate for the benefit of all. No, I'm not arguing that we're all in it together. The consultants still manage on over £100,000 a year while others are forced to use food banks. And, when this is all over, hospital managers will attempt to make savings at our expense and extend their idea of 'innovation' to make the role of the private sector more permanent.
The bosses' idea of 'giving us a say' is to pinch our ideas, con us to work extra hours, and still not give us a decent pay rise. Our idea of cooperation is a socialist one, where we own and control our services democratically and society's resources are allocated on the basis of need.
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Finance appeal
The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
In The Socialist 27 January 2021:
News
Covid spreading, poverty rising, rich get richer, fight for socialism!
Health, Covid and the vaccine: It's a class issue
Poverty wages: When workers can't afford to self-isolate
Fees frozen at £9,250 a year, fight for free education
DVLA Covid outbreak: They only care about output and productivity
Jaguar Land Rover: West Midlands superspreader
Schools
Schools: 'We have to fight for everything'
Martin Powell-Davies for NEU DGS: "We need to use our collective strength"
What we think
Biden, Labour, and the need for a new mass workers' party
Workplace news
Sage care workers strike again: Billionaires refuse to pay up
Unison NEC elections: United left challenge needed to fight slaughter of jobs and services
Steel site scaffolders strike for the 'rate of the job'
Merseyside: DHL workers at Burton's Biscuits strike against half-baked pay deal and bullying bosses
British Gas engineers continue strike against fire-and-rehire plans
Low-paid hospital workers strike
NHS
Overwhelmed, underfunded, underpaid, and still fighting for safe PPE
Health worker cooperation in the face of the pandemic
Arab Spring
Ten years since the 'Arab Spring'
TUSC
TUSC is up and running for May elections
Come to the TUSC local elections conference - 7 February
Why I'm leaving Labour and campaigning for TUSC
Councillors in Surrey resign from Labour and look to stand independently
Campaigns
Solidarity meeting with Mohamud Hassan
Save Our Square from New Labour gentrification
Help fund a challenge to austerity at the ballot box - donate today!
International socialist news and analysis
Mass protests in Russia against Putin regime
Review
TV review: The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain
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