Massive march to defend underfunded UK health service
Saeed Pourreza
Press TV, London
Despite the cold winter day, a huge turnout by thousands of NHS workers and their supporters calling for action in a dispute about inflation-matching pay … but really so much more than just that.
There are concerns about public safety when there are fewer heal workers available on strike days with the health service already at breaking point. That speaks of an even deeper crisis.
Similar action in recent months by nursing and ambulance unions seems to have forced the government to shift from its position on the amount of pay rises for this year, leading to some health unions to tentatively cancel strikes planned for this month.
An eight-month strike wave that began last summer has seen walkouts across the public sector. Yet despite their impact, public support is still strong, especially for NHS workers.
Next week will see three days of strikes by junior doctors who have experienced a terms pay cut of over 26 percent, as the costs of food, energy, and rent soar.
The demonstrators here today say why they share the concern about the impact their strike has on their patients but say they have to do it to safeguard the future of the service they have set out to provide.
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