Members of the Green Party Trade Union Group and local party activists joined NHS workers to demand a 15% pay offer for workers, patient safety, and an end to creeping NHS privatisation.
Greens joined more than 15 demonstrations across England & Wales in support of rank-and-file trade unionists with Unite, the Royal College of Nursing, GMB and other unions. The more than 70 events nationwide were organised by a coalition of grassroots activists bringing together campaign groups including NHS Workers Say NO!, Health Campaigns Together, Keep Our NHS Public, and NHS Staff Voices.
The national day of action on 3rd July 2021 was called to mark the NHS’ 73rd anniversary, which falls on 5th July. Workers came together with community activists to demand a 15% pay offer for all workers on Agenda for Change contracts. Agenda for Change covers thousands of NHS workers from Nurses to Occupational Therapists and beyond.
The government earlier this year proposed a 1% pay offer, considerably below the rate of inflation, and which workers have described as derisory. The government’s pay review body had not referred back its offer at the time of writing, despite promising an offer by the end of April 2021.
At its Spring Conference in 2021, The Green Party of England & Wales voted overwhelmingly to support campaigns for a 15% pay offer, as well as to fight for patient safety, reverse privatisation, and end outsourcing in NHS workplaces.
Speaking to demonstrators outside Downing Street in Westminster, Occupational Therapist Jordan Rivera said:
“We’ve been treated like idiots by Public Health England. We’ve begged our bosses at work for real PPE, and been refused. We’ve been expected to put our lives on the line for terrible pay.”
“To come out of this and be told we’re only worth 1%? The government can forget it, because we won’t accept that.”
NHS Workers Say NO! have announced a save the date for 14th July 2021 in London, when further actions are planned. You can follow them on Twitter @NurseSayNO.