Thousands of nurses to protest for fair pay across UK

If billionaires like Richard Branson can be bailed out, why can’t money be spent on giving NHS workers a proper pay rise, asks GMB Union?

If billionaires like Richard Branson can be bailed out, why can’t money be spent on giving NHS workers a proper pay rise, asks GMB Union?

Thousands are expected to join protests across the UK on Saturday [August 8, 2020] calling for fair pay.

Demonstrations are set to take place outside hospitals and in town and city centres in Brighton, Basildon, Bournemouth, Bridgend, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Coventry, Doncaster, Eastbourne, Glasgow, Hull, Ipswich, Inverness, Leeds, Medway, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Plymouth, Sheffield, Swansea and Central London.

Nurses, health workers, patients and the public are all expected to back the call in the marches.

Experienced nurses missed out badly in the three year NHS pay deal - which GMB Union opposed.

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer, said:

“Nurses have endured their pay, terms and conditions being driven down for years.

“Many dedicated staff have left the NHS because they can no longer cope with the low pay combined with crippling workloads - this has plunged our health service into a recruitment crisis.

“Nurses are highly trained professionals and increasingly their pay fails to reflect this. Many thought this Government would play fair and compensate them for the risks and hard work they endured during the height of the pandemic.

"Instead they feel that they have been kicked in the teeth.

“If billionaires like Richard Branson can be bailed out by the Government, why can’t money be spent on giving NHS workers a proper pay rise?

“GMB Union is calling on Ministers to do the right thing. We won’t stop organising and campaigning until they do.”