From 10am to 2pm on Friday, all Unison members from the Western Trust at SWAH, Omagh Hospital and Altnagelvin Hospital.

Patricia McKeown, Regional Secretary of Unison said, “The right of workers to pay parity and safe staffing levels cannot be dependant on the success or failure of political talks to restore devolution. Our members have reaffirmed their determination to continue our campaign for pay justice and safe staffing.”

Further strike action will take place both today (Wednesday) and again on Friday for members of the RCN at SWAH between 8am-4pm. Local nurses will gather once more on the picket lines, despite recent claims from ‘Health Chief’ Richard Pengelly (DoH) that it was “not too late for trade unions to defer the industrial action and get back round the table.” In a press release focused on further negotiations between the Department of Health and the RCN, Richard Pengelly said, “We see no good reason why such dialogue cannot begin immediately. Deferring strike action would be in the best interests of patients and patient safety and would provide the necessary space for fresh dialogue.

“In terms of political resolutions, all main political parties have already publicly supported the calls for pay parity with England, and talks are ongoing about restoration of the devolved institutions.”

However, Pat Cullen from the RCN said, “We cannot continue another decade of this, we cannot continue a few months of this. It has to be a political solution, there must be political leadership brought to Northern Ireland.”