How NHS workers can win

By Ann Orr

THE NHS celebrates its 75th birthday this year. This milestone comes at a time when the fight is on for decent wages and, crucially, for safe staffing in other words: for the entire concept and existence of the NHS.

Effective and co-ordinated action

Health workers themselves know best what action is most effective to put pressure on Trust management and the government. The lack of real coordination by health unions is a serious problem that must be overcome so we can win. It is also necessary to de - velop a plan of action which seeks to maximise the effectiveness of industrial action rather than pull our punches by spacing action out over time. We should utilise all tools in our arsenal from effective work to rules (where people refuse tasks that are not part of their contract), to lunchtime protests to coordinated action involving multiple unions to prolonged strikes. Alongside union wide strategies, this requires workplace and regional discussions to plan action and decide on derogations. To be effective, work to rule measures for example need to be fully discussed, prepared and jointly implemented. If you work in the NHS an important step is to discuss these issues with your colleagues and insist on discussions also in your union branch and with colleagues in other unions.

NHS workers are up against not only senior trust managements but also the Tories. They should be left in no doubt that the wage claims submitted by unions are not bargaining strategies but reflect what is needed in the context of the cost of living crisis and stagnation of wages over the last two decades!

It's all of us against the Tories This is also a political struggle because there is a burning need for emergency measures to save the NHS (See above)

It should be highlighted consistently that the NHS has been held up for decades by staff going above and beyond on a daily basis. Alongside the work of informal and unpaid carers it has been this gigantic effort that kept the health service going including during Covid. It is imperative that the blame for the current unsustainable situation is placed squarely with Stormont and Westminster who instead of regularly bemoaning "normal winter pressures" should have taken action to ensure the training of staff and provision of adequate resources to ensure additional health pressures that were clearly foreseen could be managed safely and without adverse pressure on

Rally broader support

Working-class people know very well that the NHS must be defended. There is huge support for health and social care workers and that must now be brought into play to back essential industrial action. If the trade unions called a day of action to defend the NHS organising and building for public demonstrations in major cities and towns, they would get a massive turnout. It would be far more difficult for the Tories to push ahead with their plans to privatise the NHS and impossible for them to claim that health workers aren't supported in the wake of such demonstrations. It would also establish again the role of the union movement in fighting to improve the lives of ordinary people across the board.

If you work in the health sector you could suggest that your union initiates discussion with other unions and starts preparations to call such a day of public protests. If you work in a different sector you can suggest your union branch or union support such a call and organise to show solidarity with NHS workers. Socialist Party members in and outside of the NHS will be doing this. If you'd like to discuss how you can help or would like assistance in your workplace, get in touch today!