DOCTORS, nurses, hospital cleaners, midwives and radiographers will be amongst the thousands of NHS staff marking a national day of action on March 3 in defence of the health service in towns and cities across the UK, the TUC stated yesterday.
There is not going to be a national demonstration.
The TUC reported that ‘NHS employees and members of the public will be joining together to take part in rallies, marches, candlelit vigils and street theatre performances on Saturday 3 March.
‘Events are happening across England and Northern Ireland, from Gloucester to Sunderland, and from Belfast to Sheffield.’
On the NHS day of action, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber will be heading to Sheffield to join a march that starts at 11am in the city’s Western Park (opposite the Children’s Hospital) and ends at City Hall.
Another event takes place in Birmingham city centre. At noon Saturday, a rally organised by the Midlands TUC and health unions in the region, is to be addressed by the new RCN General Secretary Dr Peter Carter and UNISON’s President Malcolm Cantello.
And in Crawley, there is to be street theatre in celebration of the NHS. From 11am-3pm in the town’s Queen’s Square.
Speakers at a rally in London include UNISON’s National Secretary for Health Karen Jennings, Amicus Assistant General Secretary Gail Cartmail and Josie Irwin, the RCN’s Head of Employment Relations.
10,000 workers are expected to march on Chase Farm hospital in Enfield. The march starts at 2 pm from the war memorial, Windmill Hill.