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STRIKING FOR OUR NHS!
STEP UP FIGHT OVER PAY
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Health 131014
T
ODAY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
of NHS workers are strikingwith
widespread support the length
and breadth of the country to take on
the Tories insulting pay assault.
Striking health workers are standing up
for us all. How dare the politicians tell hard
working health staff that they are only worth
a 1 percent rise or less.
NHS workers are under the cosh with
workload as a result of the Tories
50 billion NHS cuts, closures and
privatisation. Its especially outrageous
when the Westminster elite gave themselves
a 10 percent pay rise!
But the strike is about so much more than
pay. It can provide the focus for the whole
movement. The political impact of an NHS
strike can be massive. The Tories assault on
the NHS has enraged millions, and many
will see the strike as their fght too.
In many areas, communities have
organised Breakfast for the NHS
solidarity visits to hospital picket lines to
stand with striking health workers. Its great
that local unions, patient groups, students
and NHS campaigns are showing the Tories
we are united against them.
Staffng
Some say the best way to fght austerity is
to get Labour elected. But we cant rely on
Labour. Its good that they say they will
oppose the unprecedented privatisation
threatened by the Transatlantic Trade
Investment Partnership (TTIP). Campaigns
can keep up pressure to hold them to this.
But Labour have signed up to austerity
and pay cuts. During 13 years in
government, Labours PFIs have bankrupted
hospitals, leading to huge cuts.
Our unions need to make the NHS a
central issue in 2015 around the election.
Escalating strikes over pay can do this.
Attacks on NHS pay are about preparing
the health service for privatisation, to make
the sell off as proftable as possible for the
Tories big business chums.
The strike votes across the unions refect
the rage many feel over whats happening to
the service we all work so hard to provide.
Its no surprise the Tories attack our
strikes which are providing a focus for the
fght to save the NHS.
Ignore their crocodile tearsthe Tories
are cutting wards, slashing staffng levels,
and closing whole hospitals permanently.
And its not just the NHSthe Tories
have the whole public sector under siege.
On Tuesday FE lecturers are set to strike
over pay. Then on Wednesday, hundreds of
thousands of civil service workers are out.
The week will be topped off by two huge
demonstrations on the 18th in Glasgow and
London called by the TUC and STUC.
But the week of action would be
stronger if local government unions had not
suspended the strike planned for 14 October.
Many members in local government
will be angered by the decision. The new
proposal is effectively no more than a
shuffing around of the original 1 percent
offer. It was a mistake to call off the action.
Activists are now arguing for the proposal to
be rejected and to get the strikes back on.
Underlines
This underlines the need to get organised
in branches and workplaces, to ensure that
unions in health dont pull back from the
action before we have won real movement.
This is a fght we can win. The Tories
decision to attack workers pay everywhere
can unify resistance.
Doncaster Care UK strikers, who are on
their 84th strike day today, were employed
by the NHS, then sold off to private frm,
Care UK. Now the service is under threat
as proft is put frst. Theyre striking for the
future of the NHS too and show the way.
We cant let our unions repeat mistakes.
In 2011, 2.6 million struck over pensions.
Some union leaders supported a deal that
sold members short. This led to a year of
inaction as theassault on workers intensifed.
Prepared
Union leaders were right to push for strikes.
After todays strike we need more action
called, and quickly. We need to see serious
escalation that the whole movement can get
behind and take on the Tories over the NHS.
This government is weak. The incredible
campaign in Scotland created a crisis
for Cameron and Miliband. Whatever
government is elected in 2015, we must be
prepared to fght.
That means using each strike to strengthen
workplace organisation in order to keep up
pressure for a strategy to win.
We cant just wait for Labour, we need to keep fghting...
Care UK strikers are fghting for the future of the NHS
UNITE THE RESISTANCE
STRIKING
TOGETHER
Organising to win conference
Speakers include: Unison Care UK strikers, Support
Stafford Hospital campaign, NHS strikers, Matt Wrack
FBU frefghters general secretary, John McDonnell
MP, US fast food strikers and many more.
The conference has plenaries and workshops,
including: Where next for the fght to save the NHS?
Saturday 15 November, 12-5pm
Bloomsbury Baptist Church, central London.
Book up online at uniteresist.org