THE first national strike in the National Health Service in 18 years began on Thursday night at 10pm as dedicated health workers and supporters manned picket lines at all five NHS Logistics Distribution Centres across the country.
The strikers were determined to stop the sell off of NHS Logistics to a German company DHL.
At 10pm on Thursday over 40 workers manned the picket line outside the gates of the Maidstone depot, out of a total night staff of 85.
Julia Lawrence, Unison Deputy Regional Secretary SE, said: ‘We’re here on strike to tell the government to think again.
‘NHS Logistics is an award winning organisation. We are concerned about the effect privatisation will have on our hospitals, getting supplies to wards and operating theatres.
‘We want the government to think again, and to stop privatising. DHL is a private company. It is used to deliver post, not hospital supplies.’
Later she added: ‘We have had an impressive turn-out tonight. We are extremely disappointed and concerned that it has come to this, but we intend to carry on and win.’
Paul Harper, UNISON Branch Secretary at Maidstone Distribution Centre said: ‘Privatisation is a really bad thing.
‘Privatisation is what is behind all the closures of the A&E’s and District Hospitals.
‘Obviously the privateers are bleeding the NHS dry.
‘It’s very urgent for other unions to come out to defend the NHS.
‘The RMT, and USDAW at places like Tesco are with us – which is important.
‘The PCS, including the Passport Office at Victoria, is supporting us.
‘We’ve had messages of support coming in all day’.
‘The Regional Committee have pledged £10,000 to support our action and other collections have been raised.’
Harper continued: ‘Lots of people are coming down tomorrow (Friday). There is also a protest against the closure of Maidstone A&E.’
Julia Chandler, Chair of Unison Maidstone, said: ‘This strike is to stop privatisation of NHS Logistics. ‘The government just want to save money.
‘NHS is non-profit and DHL want shares and are out for profit. This is detrimental to the NHS.’
Carrie Brooks said: ‘people are beginning to realise that it’s not just about Logistics but that the “jewel in the crown”, which the NHS is, is really under threat.
‘It’s tangible now, privatisation is becoming a fact. We need to take a stand.
‘I think Blair has lost the plot; he is way out of touch with what the people of this country want on so many issues.
‘We’ve had messages and pledges of support pouring in from other unions cross the board.’
Zoë Van Dyke, Regional Officer with responsibility for NHS Logistics, said: ‘Unison has put a motion to the Labour Party Conference asking the Labour Party to think again. NHS Logistics has won a national award for efficiency.
‘It’s inappropriate to be privatising it. It’s not rational. If it is privatised, DHL will have competing priorities.’
At NHS Logistics Bury St Edmonds up to 40 UNISON pickets and supporting Suffolk firefighters were at the gate.
UNISON Branch Secretary Graham Kendall told News Line: ‘We are against any form of privatisation.
‘It’s sad to see this happening when we have a Labour government in.
‘I would say that there must be national action.’
Yvonne Cleary, the UNISON Regional Officer, added: ‘These workers are as much part of the NHS as are doctors and nurses.
‘This is why we are defending their right to be part of the NHS healthcare team.
‘If necessary there should be national action by all trade unions to defend the NHS from privatisation.
‘People never anticipated that a Labour government would privatise the NHS.’
Steve Collins, FBU Brigade Chair Suffolk, said: ‘Obviously we support UNISON in this industrial action against the privatisation of a vital part of the NHS.
‘To resolve this problem we are going to have to look at the whole trade union movement, across the board, taking action to stop the privatisation of the public sector.’
A UNISON spokeswoman yesterday told News Line why the union had dropped its attempt for a judicial review of the privatisation.
She said: ‘Basically, the announcement of the transfer on October 1st came at very short notice and we were looking at every possible avenue open to us industrially and legally, but we were advised that our chances of winning a judicial review were slim.
‘The law protects the interests of the private sector and competition over the rights of NHS workers, so we decided the right thing to do was to withdraw the application.
‘We are continuing with our industrial action campaign, which will go ahead next week, and we will be taking our arguments to the Labour Party conference.
‘We have a motion that focuses on NHS Logistics and the NHS.’
The next 24 hour strike action is on Tuesday, September 26th, starting at 10pm.