Tracy Scott, an NHS nurse working in advanced breast care in the region. She was invited to speak on Workers International Day, and her speech showed the growing connection between workers, union struggle and Palestine
A couple of years ago I became involved in a campaign called NHS Workers Say No. This is a campaign that was set up by NHS workers from a variety of unions and we were essentially independent of our unions because we found that our unions were not standing for us collectively. We believe in collaboration right across unions to get what we need as healthcare workers and for what our patients need.
I’m not sure if you all know but please know we went in for a pay raise campaign and a lot of our unions said that we should accept an abysmal 5% pay rise when most of us had a 35% pay loss over the term of Tory governments.
We disagreed when a couple of our unions abstained on fighting and said there would be no more, so that was to conjure up fear in NHS workers who were living on food banks and therefore many accepted.
The RCN left their ballot open which meant that their members could change their minds at any time, so we got to work in NHS Workers Say No and we launched a massive Vote Reject campaign. RCN are the only health care union for nurses that rejected, thankfully a lot of healthcare unions also rejected but unfortunately, some of the major ones did not.
Next pay campaign and patients
I’m sure you all know that we are now due our next pay deal that has been delayed. It is quite funny how politicians never have an issue when they go for their pay rise, they seem to get them on time. So, we now are going to continue to campaign for healthcare, health workers’ rights and most of all our patients’ rights.
We have our patients lined up on corridors which is now called “corridor care”, how disgraceful! We have opposition to governments saying that they will continue with the privatisation of NHS. This is something we adamantly stand against. There’s been no suggestion from the opposition (Labour Party) about how they intend to get more money into our NHS, it’s all about how they’re going to take more money out so I can guarantee you as a nurse standing here today, I will continue to defend all your rights to have a fully funded NHS free of privatisation.
My main reason for being here today is for the Palestinian people. I believe in solidarity. We in the NHS Workers Say No believe that no innocent person should suffer because of a wall that is being created by the hierarchy.
We will stand to defend the rights of people to live a free and peaceful life, nobody should have to suffer horrific burns from phosphorus being dropped on them. No child should have to suffer the losses of their family. Healthcare workers should not be bombed their hands tied behind their backs and put into a grave and buried because they want to defend the right to healthcare for their people.
I want to say loud and clear today, not just for everybody standing here because you are the ones who are already converted to realise that we are better together, my message goes way beyond to every single person in this country Is OK to say that it is not OK. Be courageous standalone ceasefire now!