Midwives in Northern Ireland to strike next Friday
It's in a dispute over pay
Plans for industrial action in Northern Ireland's health service next week are intensifying, after the Royal College of Midwives announced its members will strike on Friday (22nd September).
It'll overlap with a 48 hour strike by health workers from UNISON, whose members include nurses and ambulance crews, on Thursday and Friday.
The RCM says the safety of women will be the prime concern, and that during any industrial action there’ll still be midwives and support workers working in maternity units to ensure women receive the care they need.
A statement from the RCM said, “Midwives and maternity support worker members of the Royal College of Midwives across Northern Ireland have announced strike action from 8am to 4pm on Friday 22 September.”
“They will also be taking industrial action short of a strike by claiming payment for any overtime worked in the week following strike action. The action will be across all five trusts in Northern Ireland.”
“The announcement comes as earlier in the year midwives and MSWs agreed to pause their strike action in order to engage in talks with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Six months later there has been no progress towards a meaningful pay offer.”
“Midwives in Northern Ireland are the lowest paid in the United Kingdom and so midwives are being forced to take industrial action. In earlier consultations by the RCM nine out of 10 midwives said they would take strike action if no pay deal was agreed.”
Karen Murray, the RCM’s Director for Northern Ireland, said, “No midwife wants to strike but what choice do they now have? Midwives are deeply frustrated by the lack of any progress by policymakers and because of that they have been driven to take a stand for fair pay and safer care and maternity services.”