THE 10,000 workers and youth who took part in the ‘Britain is Broken’ march in London on Saturday were marching for action to bring down the Tory government.
It is in fact, the Tory government and the capitalist system that is high on inflation, is heading for a crash and is breaking apart on a daily basis.
It is this system that must be overthrown and replaced by a planned socialist economy, as a matter of life or death for both the working class and the middle class.
This is spelt out by the fact that on November 17th, the government will be deciding to dump some £50bn of savage cuts onto the backs of the working class, the middle class and the poorest of the poor.
Faced with being pauperised by a bankrupt capitalist system millions of workers and youth are now joining the struggle to smash the Tories to bring in a workers government and socialism.
A leading role in this battle for socialism is being played by the nurses and by all NHS workers. Directly ahead, is the biggest nurses strike in the history of capitalism
Today, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is due to unveil the results of its strike ballot, which ended last week. RCN officials are already saying that a large majority of nurses have voted in favour of strike action.
Pat Cullen, RCN general secretary and chief executive, said yesterday: ‘Huge numbers of staff – both experienced and newer recruits – are deciding they cannot see a future in a nursing profession that is not valued nor treated fairly.’
She added: ‘Our strike action will be as much for patients as it is for nurses. We have their support in doing this.’
Faced with a massive nurses strike, the Tories have taken up their most arrogant ruling class posture. Cabinet minister, Oliver Dowden, said yesterday that the government had ‘well-oiled contingencies in place’ for dealing with any strike action by nurses.
Speaking on Sky News, Dowden said essential services would be prioritised, ‘but of course there would be an impact as a result of a strike like that’.
The Tories are set to attempt to run an NHS hospital system without nurses! How arrogant and ignorant can you get! He added: ‘I would continue to urge nurses and others to resist going out on strike, even if they have voted to do so.’
The RCN has correctly called for a rise of 5% above the RPI inflation rate which currently stands at above 12%.
In England and Wales, NHS staff, including nurses, have been given an average of 4.75%, with extra for the lowest paid.
In Scotland, 5% was initially offered to NHS staff, but that has been changed to a flat rate of just over £2,200, which works out at just over 8% for a newly-qualified nurse.
In Northern Ireland, nurses are yet to receive a pay award. Nurses want at least 17% to keep pace with inflation.
Research commissioned by the union has found average pay fell by 6% between 2011 and 2021 – once inflation was taken into account – compared with a 4.6% drop for the whole economy.
Starting salaries for nurses in England are currently just above £27,000, rising to nearly £55,000 for the most senior nurses. The RCN said the average pay for a full-time established nurse was just above £32,000 last year – similar to average pay across the economy.
This is the first time the RCN has balloted all its members for strike action in its 106-year history. A host of other major health unions, including Unison, the Royal College of Midwives, GMB and Unite, have all started to, or are planning to ballot members.
Unite has confirmed that NHS members have formally rejected the latest pay offer made by NHS Scotland.
The nurses are coming out, and the rest of the trade unions must join them to bring down the Tories and bring in a workers’ government to carry out socialist policies. There is not a moment to lose. Tell your leaders we’re coming out with the nurses to bring down the Tories!
