Campaigners in Bridgnorth hospital protest in bid for NHS pay rise
Residents including a former hospital porter took to a Shropshire health centre with placards in support of a national campaign to give NHS workers a pay rise.
About half a dozen people stood outside Bridgnorth Community Hospital in line with 'NHS Workers Say NO! to Public Sector Pay Inequality' – an initiative which has seen dozens of protests in recent months up and down the country.
The next pay negotiations for NHS staff are not due to take place until 2021, when the current Agenda for Change three-year deal comes to an end in March.
But campaigners say pay rises for nurses and other healthcare workers should be brought forward, especially given their tireless efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Former NHS hospital porter Paul Bolton was one of those leading the march in Bridgnorth alongside his wife Maggie.
Paul, 72, from Eardington, said: "I think it's fair to say the NHS has gone way beyond what is normally asked of them during the coronavirus pandemic, and unfortunately a significant number have actually paid the ultimate sacrifice of losing their life.
"We all use the NHS at various times and we appreciate the service the staff deliver.
"For about 10 years NHS staff have only had an average of about a one per cent pay increase – this national campaign is asking for a 15 per cent increase to make up for those years of underpay."
The group were outside the hospital in Northgate for about an hour, speaking to passers-by and health workers while wielding signs reading "Pay rise for all our NHS staff" and "Give NHS staff a pay rise".
Paul added: "It's not enough to just clap for them, they need a rise in pay.
"Quite a few cars were tooting their horns and shoppers walking by said they agreed with us. I went to the entrance of the Minor Injuries Unit and after explaining what we were doing to a member of staff, she said 'thank you very much, I'll pass it on to the rest of the staff'."
Unions representing more than 1.3 million NHS staff have written to the government calling for talks to start on a pay rise to take effect before the end of 2020 to reflect the efforts of health workers during the Covid-19 crisis.
The unions, including Unison, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), GMB and Unite, stress that the increase should also include support for private contractors.
