Hospitals across London will have minimal NHS services on Monday morning, then staff will actually take their breaks from Tuesday to Friday, writes Goolistan Cooper
Protesters will be outside all London hospitals on Monday morning demanding better pay
NHS staff including nurses, ambulance paramedics, therapists and healthcare assistants will go on strike on Monday (October 13) as part of nationwide action over pay.
UNISON members working in the NHS will stage the four-hour stoppage between 7am and 11am, when they will gather on picket lines at various hospital sites in west London.
The trade union say action was taken after the government ignored the NHS pay review body's advise, meaning 60 per cent of NHS staff and 70 per cent of nurses will not receive a pay rise this year.
Other NHS workers expected to take part in the walk-out include cooks, cleaners and admin staff.
The industrial action will be followed by a further four days of action from Tuesday (14) to Friday (17) which UNISON describe as just short of strike action.
This will see members, who often forego lunch and tea breaks because of their workload, enjoy the breaks they are entitled to.
Latha Kathirkamathamby is the chairperson of the patients group at Ridgeway Surgery in Imperial Drive, Harrow.
She said: “There are four nurses at our surgery and I'm not sure if they will be striking and how it will affect the surgery.
“I'm supportive of the strike action. Staff do a fantastic job and they do get paid peanuts.
“But the strike action will leave patients affected and be detrimental to their health as there will be no service and far more delays.
“I think you will see a mixed reaction. Patients are sympathetic but will be put out by the fact that they're not being treated.”
Other unions and groups are also taking part in the walk-out, and will be supported by Save Our Hospitals – a campaign group fighting the proposed closures of A&E departments at Hammersmith and Charing Cross hospitals.
The group's assistant secretary Jim Grealy said: “We will join them and support them on the picket lines. They have a valid case.
“I think the public will support this too. When it comes to the health service people seem to know good staff deserve good pay and better conditions.”
Unison regional secretary Linda Perks added: “NHS members don't take action often or lightly. For many of our members this will be the first time since the pay disputes of the 1980s.
“Staff are on average 10 percent worse off than when the Coalition came to power. This means their families are suffering and morale is hitting rock bottom.
“A well-motivated workforce saves lives so we need to cherish and support our NHS staff who work day in, day out caring for others.
“A well-motivated workforce saves lives so we need to cherish and support our NHS staff who work day in, day out caring for others.
“The NHS runs on the goodwill of its workers, but this Government has shown utter contempt for them by refusing to give any pay increase to the vast majority this year and next.”
A spokesperson for London North West Healthcare NHS Trust said: “We are working closely with the trade unions to ensure that any disruption to patient care is minimised.”
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