Today (2nd December) UNISON health and social services workers will commence a second week of industrial action over unsafe staffing levels and the lack of pay parity with NHS workers in Scotland, England and Wales.
Today (28th November) UNISON members at Craigavon, Musgrave Park and Omagh Hospitals will commence strike action over unsafe staffing levels and the lack of pay parity with NHS workers in Scotland, England and Wales. Strike action will continue at Belfast City Hospital.
Today (26th November) UNISON has learnt that the Chief Nursing Officer at the Department of Health has decided to cancel the All Ireland Chief Nursing Officers Conference that had been scheduled to take place in Belfast on 3rd December due to planned industrial action by nurses.
Today (26th November) UNISON members across the entire health and social services system will continue industrial action in the fight for pay justice and safe staffing levels.
With the UCU higher education trikes starting today, UNISON NI is sending the UCU members on strike our strongest support and solidarity.
UNISON members, alongside UCU members, have experienced the effects of real-term loss in wages and what it means for our standards of living. UNISON members, alongside UCU members, have experienced rising workloads and increased stress. UNISON members, alongside UCU members, are aware of the impact of the gender pay gap, the ethnic pay gap, and the insecurity of being employed by contractors or on precarious contracts.
UNISON members in the Health and social services system have voted for industrial action with 92% voting for strike action.
UNISON is the largest union in the health and social services system in Northern Ireland. Its membership covers all health workers with the exception of doctors. Its largest occupational groups are in nursing, social care and support services.
Health Unions in Northern Ireland expressed deep disappointment following the statement from the Department of Health that was read to the Trade Unions today outlining their position on pay.
UNISON notes media coverage in relation to claims made by the Department of Health in a briefing for MLAs that introducing pay parity for health workers in Northern Ireland would add £103 million to the pay bill this year. Responding to these claims, UNISON Head of Bargaining and Representation, Anne Speed said:
“The information that the Department of Health is sending to our political parties on the issue of pay is partial, incomplete and misleading.
