Medical

Questions are being raised over the RCN leadership’s role in the rotten pay deal being presented to nurses and other healthcare workers.

Dan Langley, a nurse activist, replies to comments from RCN chief negotiator, Josie Irwin, who has attacked ordinary union members in order to justify accepting a rotten pay deal.

In his recent Budget, chancellor Philip Hammond made a weak and non-committal pledge to consider finding the money for a pay rise for nurses. Despite such mealy-mouthed promises, the Royal College of Nursing leadership welcomed Hammond’s statement. We publish here an open letter by several grassroots nurse activists, written in response to these events.

Yesterday, on 6th September, nurses descended upon Parliament Square in their thousands for a demonstration organised by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to demand the pay that they deserve. Dan Langley, a leading grassroots nurse activist, reports on the mood amongst nurses in the fight against Tory-imposed austerity.

Today sees the “Scrap the Cap” protest in Parliament Square, with thousands of nurses demonstrating against the 1% pay cap that is currently imposed on those working in the public sector as a result of the Tories’ austerity programme. Dan Langley, a leading nurse activist, discusses the steps needed in the campaign against the cap.

After seeing their own struggle last year grind to a halt in the face of a hostile press and a vicious Tory government, the junior doctors have now declared support for other NHS workers, backing the nurses in their fight for decent pay. Nurses, doctors, and all workers: unite and fight to #SaveOurNHS!

Members of both the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Unison, as well as non-unionised staff in the NHS, are becoming increasingly frustrated with ongoing cuts in conditions and pay. As a result, for the first time in its history, the RCN is polling its members about their willingness to go on strike. Nurses, doctors, and all NHS staff: unite and fight!

After months of negotiation interspersed with strike action, junior doctors have now voted to reject the new contract that has been offered by the Tories. The government has gone ahead and said they will impose the contract. Junior doctors have stated that they will continue to fight.

Over the next week, junior doctors will demonstrate and strike in defence of their conditions and the wider NHS. We publish here a letter by a junior doctor, who highlights the importance of continuing the fight against the Tories. If you fight, you will win – militancy pays!

British
doctors have gone on strike today for the first time since 1975 over
the government cuts to pensions. Unsurprisingly, this has been met with a
chorus of indignation by the Tories who have accused the doctors of
“penalising patients” by taking industrial action.

First hand report of action in Durham!

Here is a report on the Nov 30 action in Gateshead.