An intensive care nurse from Swansea who helped organise a major protest for an NHS pay rise has told voice wales that she thinks workers would vote for strike action over the issue if a ballot was organised by unions.
Nurse Louise, pictured above, said that Covid had been the tipping point for mounting anger over low pay and worsening conditions, saying: “I think there’s enough anger for people to want to strike after this.” In the interview, down page, she also called on Welsh Government to ‘stand up to Westminster’ and support health workers in Wales.
She was speaking after hundreds of nurses, midwives, other health workers and their supporters marched in Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Swansea and Bridgend yesterday to demand an immediate 15% pay rise for all NHS workers.
They joined thousands of others who marched in England and Scotland as part of UK-wide day of revolt against the Tory government in Westminster and the way they have treated frontline staff.
In the searing heat, many took to the microphone to talk about what they had experienced fighting Coronavirus and how much they as a group of workers had sacrificed during the pandemic. There were appeals for unity and an acknowledgement that by standing together as an entire NHS workforce, their demands could not be ignored.
Several speakers gave emotional accounts of what it was like to work on the frontline and how nurses had to hold the hands of those who were dying because relatives could not be at their bedside.
In Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil, flowers were laid on the ground to represent the 540 health and social care workers who have died from Covid-19. At all events, a two minutes silence was held to commemorate every one of the lives which has been lost.
The trigger for the protests came when the UK government left nurses, midwives, junior doctors, healthcare assistants, auxiliary staff and other NHS workers out a of a recent pay rise announcement.
After fighting Covid, they are furious at how they’ve been snubbed, especially when Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Minister Matt Hancock have publicly lauded them as heroes.
The Tories have used the excuse that these workers are already in a pay deal so can’t be included in the recent announcement, but many say this simply locks them into poverty pay and comes after a decade of cuts which has seen the value of their wages fall by around 20%.
They point out that the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic, and the way in which frontline health workers risked their lives to save others, means the current pay deal should be scrapped and an immediate, 15% pay rise given to NHS workers instead. Even though health is devolved, they are calling on Westminster to fund the pay rise that would then be implemented by Welsh Government.
In Cardiff, a crowd of between 300 – 400 marched from the Millennium Centre to the steps of the Welsh Parliament. A group of nurses in uniform sat at the front as other workers and supporters lined the steps with homemade placards and banners. Nurses clap and cheer in CardiffSwansea ICU nurse Rebecca, who helped organised the protestA worker making the case for a pay riseSolidarity from university and college workers
Unions such as Unite Cymru, Cardiff University and College Union, Unite Community and Cardiff Trades Council all brought banners in support. Organisers said the two major health unions Unison and Royal College of Nursing were supporting the protests in different ways, but neither had a big presence on the day.
Speaking after the demonstration, Louise, an ICU nurse from Swansea who was also one of the organisers, told voice wales that she was very pleased with how the day had gone.
“I think it’s been amazing, the turnout has been incredible,” she said. “I think it’s quite humbling to see how many people have turned up to support us, not just NHS health care workers but people who aren’t even associated with the NHS have come to support us as well. I think it’s really fantastic.”
She said workers were “extremely passionate” about the fight they are now in to secure a decent pay rise.
“Everyone in the NHS has worked so tirelessly through this pandemic…I don’t think there’s one person I’ve spoken to who isn’t angered by this entire situation,” she told us. “There’s a lot of passion within the NHS. With the colleagues I have spoken to, I think there’s enough passion there to keep this fight going.”
Asked directly whether she thought there would be support for strike action if a ballot was organised by unions, Louise said she believed there would be.
“Yes, I think so,” she responded. “I think it’s got to the point now where this has gone on for far too long in the NHS. We’re having to work in conditions where we’ve had to fight Covid, we’ve had to face Tory cuts, smaller hospitals have been shut down, services have been shut down and become more centralised. Covid [has been] the cherry on top of the cake, and I think there’s enough anger for people to want to strike after this.”
She also said that Welsh government should support their demand for a 15% pay rise instead of hiding behind the current pay deal:
“The pay [deal] is that little in relation to inflation that we’ve actually taken a pay cut. I hope the Welsh government has seen all this today and I hope that it gets them to stand up to Westminster and demand that we get the pay rise we deserve.”
In Merthyr Tydfil, a crowd of around 150 gathered at the fountain and marched down High Street chanting: “What do we want? 15 percent! When do we want it? Now!” The march was supported by local MSs and MPs, Merthyr Trades Council and supported by local businesses with the iconic Red House turning blue in solidarity.Organiser and nurse Rhian Bethell on the megaphoneNaomi, ICU nurse reads powerful poemMarching down Merthyr High St with union supportVicar addresses the crowd
The mood against the Tories and the government was clear. Naomi -an ICU nurse – read a powerful poem she had written which referred to PM Boris Johnson and ended with the line: “Remember the day he served us with another broken promise.”
Protesters held a rally at St David’s Parish Church where they laid flowers in memory of the workers who died from Coronavirus, with the local vicar leading them into a two minute silence with a prayer.
Labour MP Beth Winter told the crowd that “Clapping is not enough, people need fair pay. Give Wales its fair share of funding. It’s time for our voices to be heard. We can make them listen.”
Speaking to voice wales after the rally one of the organisers of the Merthyr protest, nurse Rhian Bethell, pictured below, left, said that “all NHS staff want fair pay, our responsibilities aren’t represented in our wage and have decreased by 20% with inflation. We want a 15% increase.”
“NHS staff are currently relying on food banks, working overtime and extra hours to make ends meet.”
“We stood up and worked incredibly hard when the world had to stay home. It’s time for Boris and Westminster to realise how undervalued we are!”
She said she was “so thrilled and grateful” that they “had a whole community with us today.”
Crowds also took to the streets in Swansea and Bridgend in what was one of the biggest mobilisations of rank and file workers in years. The campaign is set to continue as the demand for a 15% pay rise strengthens, with the mood for strike action growing.
As the government and big business try to push both the health and economic cost of Covid onto the shoulders of working class people, these protests could also provide a vital spark for a wider fightback.
*All images via voice wales. Merthyr protest images by Glyn Jones
