Dorset NHS staff march for equal pay
There are two ‘NHS Workers Say NO! to Public Sector pay inequality’ demo's in Dorset today.
One is being held in Dorchester at the Town Pump and the other in Bournemouth at The Square.
Their first event was on 8th August in reaction to almost 9,000 public sector workers, including teachers, dentists and police being given a pay rise of up to 3.1%.
Grassroots NHS Staff weren’t included in the pay rise as the NHS signed a separate three year pay rise deal back in 2018.
Debbie Reynolds is one of the organisers, she’s a prescribed nurse and has been with the NHS since the 80’s.
"The reason why we’re doing a second march is to carry on the momentum and keep this movement growing. We’ve got 82,000 members in the UK now so; it’s about getting it out there and hopefully people will start to listen and see this is a national problem.
"Unfortunately, the government doesn’t seem to be taking much notice of us at the moment, so that’s why we’re doing a second march, we are fighting for equal pay, that is all we want.
"The reality is many health care workers struggle to make ends meet, work extra shift or have second jobs and some of them frequently have to use food banks."
Their current pay deal is running until 2021, but Debbie said they need to be recognised now.
"COVID has only highlighted how valuable we all are, all NHS workers, not just nurses. I’m talking about porters, admin workers and people who in the canteens and kitchens.
"We are all there working for the people, so I think we are indispensable to society, we are not valued or paid our worth.
"I do feel let down by the government and when everyone was clapping every Thursday including my neighbours, it made me feel quite emotional. But it’s not enough now that we are out of lockdown it feels like it’s been pushed aside, but COVID is still here."
Their first march was organised in ten days and had 130 people turn up, which Debbie said is good for Bournemouth.
"We had lots of support and it just motivated me to carry on and fight for a pay rise for NHS workers.
"I am now in the middle of organising the second march. Luckily, this time, there is more time to organise it and get more people on board."
For more information about the Dorchester demo: https://www.facebook.com/events/306247593873711/
For more information about the Bournemouth demo: https://www.facebook.com/events/749009199233823/