AIBU to ask if you would support a strike by midwifery/nursing staff?

[HolidayArmadillo]

Just that really, would you support a strike by frontline NHS midwifery/nursing staff? Following the 1% 'pay rise' news (which is actually a pay cut in real terms and only for those who are experienced staff at the top of their band) more and more of my colleagues have been saying that if it came to it they would strike, many have been reluctant up until this point as no one wants to disrupt women/patient care but the workforce is becoming burnt out, disillusioned and unsafe.

Just wondering what the mumsnet collective has to say?

They are.

Anne we don't get an increment just for turning up for a year, we have to have an appraisal, meet criteria, achieve competencies etc, it is performance linked no matter that the government try and insist it isn't.

Yes I would support it.

Most jobs have a pay band, and people start at the bottom and work their way up it over time, but nowhere else do they have annual increments like this, it just doesn't happen

No, you're still not understanding what the incremental is. The top of the band is what a nurse should be paid. When a nurse leaves university he/she still has a lot to learn and thus needs to prove competency. The band progression is merely a nurse having to jump through further hoops to achieve the pay we're supposed to be on.

I wouldn't support a strike by midwives. In fact, it makes me feel a bit sick to think that vulnerable soon-to-be new mums may have to walk past a picket line on their way into hospital heading into who knows what.
There has to be a better way of making a point than putting babies' & women's lives at risk.

and bornfree I agree 100%. Maternity services are struggling massively and I don't know how my midwife friends cope. I would even say they have it tougher than nurses.

If they don't give us annual increments then they should have a system if remuneration for new skills etc. otherwise there is no incentive to better yourself. For instance I did a year long course learning an entire new skill which involved many late nights studying etc. I didn't jump a band for my trouble but I did go through my increments. If there were no increments what would be the point!

At least the military get a decent NON contributory pension. You forgot to mention that aim invisible.

7 times in my lunch break I was disturbed. Being diabetic it is important I eat regularly. On the 7th disturbance I sustained a nedlestick injury. I had to take pep(high risk patient). For those who don't know pep is a medicine for people who have sustained needlestick injuries from patients who have hiv etc.

The course lasts a month. You have to have quite a few blood tests. Side effects from pep are not nice. You have the worry that you have contracted hiv etc.

I am the only qualified. I cannot get off and have my unpaid break so I am not disturbed. Yet mp's moan they can't get the wine they want in their subsidised restaurant?

Don't make me laugh.

Erm to keep up to date.

My dp is so over stretched he has to do his studying in order to keep up to date at home after his 10 hour day sometimes after the work he brings home.

He does it because it will benefit him.He won't get a payrise for it.That said he's lucky his company often fund it,many don't.

Only a 10 hr day ha ha ha

But you never gear them whining

Your attitude is astonishing. It is NOT whining to want fair working conditions and pay. It is NOT whining to want to be able to afford to look after your family. It is NOT whining to want to be able to do the job you trained to do.

The private sector struggles too, we get it. Make your own thread, complain about it. You wouldn't see us coming over there going 'stop complaining, us public sector have it just as bad'. In fact we'd SUPPORT you in your complaints.

Oh and he often doesn't have a lunch hour,too many meetings and things to do.You are expected to work through them.

You have got fair pay and conditions.

I work on average a 14 hour day. No breaks, no nips to the loo. Everytime I do something I know there's something else I should be doing but there's simply not time. I know that in everything I do for one person, there's another one missing out. It's not just paperpushing, it's people's health. I go home, and study because I need to progress because soon my wage is no longer going to be able to support my family. I also have children to look after. So please tell me more about this 10 hour day.

Having no break in a 12 hour shift his not a fair condition.

Is he banned from eating and drinking at his desk though? And is there a toilet he can access if he wants to go? It's irrelevant really I suppose but just because he has it bad doesn't mean other people can't as well. There are a lot of shit situations I don't know why we can't support each other to achieve better ones.

NurseyWursey - you have said it much better than me.

I'm academia, not quite public sector but a lot of my friends/colleagues are NHS. I can assure you that they do not have lunch breaks. They spend a lot of time in meetings. They get in early and work late. They have to deal with crises. They don't get paid overtime and can never find the time to take time off in lieu. They work weekends, evenings, holidays. What fucking more do you want from our public sector?

You have got fair pay and conditions

Are you being deliberately inflammatory? I'm sorry I refuse to engage in your sillyness anymore because it's quite obvious our conditions and pay aren't adequate.

No. I'm sorry. I do not support striking. For me it's lazy. You have a point sit and negotiate. And yes find a compromise. Striking stops communication. It doesn't encourage it.

listen to the radio more retro - you will hear plenty of armed forces personnel 'whining' or as I call it - expressing concern about the state of their service and the wider implications for society

maybe they should shout a bit louder so people listen to them

I always find it amazing that people get all tetchy about striking nurses etc 'putting peoples lives at risk' while spectacularly failing to see or acknowledge that the issues they are striking over are much more detrimental to lives of their service users

Nurseywursey, don't you know we are expected to live on thin air?

I would support it. The government is screwing over NHS staff and relying on their goodwill not to strike.

No I'm just disagreeing with you.

Do you not get paid overtime?

I worked as a staff nurse on the wards for over 10 years before joining the military. After a career break and doing a return to practice course there's no way I would return to ward nursing under the current conditions . I couldn't do it and I admire those that do.

Do you not get paid overtime?

No