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Motion: Support the health workers

To support NHS Workers Say No and their demands

Please move this as a motion, if necessary an emergency motion, in your Labour Party (or adapt for use in your union branch).

Support the health workers

Notes

  1. That despite the exhausting and dangerous work undertaken by health and care workers during the pandemic, the government has proposed a 1pc pay rise for NHS workers and nothing for care workers. This comes after a long period of falling real wages, with a cut of nearly 20pc in many cases according to the GMB.
  2. The staff shortages and alarming rate of turnover, with the RCN finding that over a third of nurses are thinking of leaving the profession in the next 12 months.
  3. The emergence of grassroots network NHS Workers Say No to Public Sector Pay Inequality, which is campaigning for 15pc or £3,000, whichever is higher, and for outsourced services to be brought back into the NHS. Unite and GMB have expressed support for 15pc, while the RCN is calling for 12.5pc.

Further notes

  1. That during the pandemic inequality has increased. UK billionaires have increased their wealth by £40 billion. The Resolution Foundation estimates that wealth held by the super-rich has been underestimated by £800 billion.

Believes

  1. That all workers should get a decent real-terms pay rise, particularly after the most sustained fall in real wages since records began. Refusal to give a decent increase to key workers who have risked their lives during the pandemic is particularly glaring.
  2. That in addition to reversing privatisation and outsourcing in the health service, social care should be brought into the public sector and provided as a free public service, with high standards and parity of pay, terms and conditions with directly employed NHS staff.
  3. That the government should take wealth from the rich to fund wages, services, jobs and benefits society needs.

Resolves

  1. To support NHS Workers Say No and their demands, publicise their campaigning including this petition https://www.change.org/p/claps-don-t-pay-the-bills-give-all-nhs-workers-a-15-pay-rise-nhspay15, make links locally and invite a speaker.
  2. To call on the party to support the campaign and the demands in this motion, writing to the Leader’s Office and the NEC and including this motion.

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