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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

366 replies

HolidayArmadillo · 15/03/2014 11:20

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?

OP posts:
Retropear · 15/03/2014 21:30

Ditto

NurseyWursey · 15/03/2014 21:31

aged

Well I've heard of this new diet y'see, where people are like plants and they don't need to eat, they simply breath oxygen Shock

They have been dying.. but it's worth a try.

this is an actual thing by the way

agedknees · 15/03/2014 21:33

I think it's a cunning plan to kill off all nhs workers so they don't have to pay us our pensions.

NurseyWursey · 15/03/2014 21:38

What makes me sad is there are actual guides and books on 'how to avoid burnout' for health care professionals.

gordyslovesheep · 15/03/2014 21:39

I love the idea of overtime Grin

sadly not - although we do get incremental rises - provided we meet stretch targets, and other goals - and jump through some flaming hoops

I often work over my allotted hours accruing flex which I can never use since we don't have enough staff to cover

jigsawlady · 15/03/2014 21:43

I wouldnt support you for a few reasons.

  1. The patients, mothers & babies safety should come first.
  2. I've heard a lot about staffing levels, not being able to peovide adequate care etc (think that is more of a priority than pay)
  3. I think it's selfish. Your employer is everybody's government -striking for a payrise is a way to blackmsil your employer into redirecting funds from something else to you. In the private sector it might mean they cut back on bosses bonus's, might make less profit, maybe redundancies with the government public services in general will suffer -other elements of nhs, fire crews, schools, local councils funding etc.

I cant support it as if you are successful you are damming everyone else as it will definitely have negative consequences for more people than it helps (as lets face it, they arent going to pay for it by reducing their pay/takkng bankers bonuses)

I work in a job I dislike, the pays ok but the conditions and hours are crap but I made an informed decision and chose to do what was best for me, if things changed then I'd re-evaluate and if necessary find something more suited to my priorities. It feels like if you strike you would be holding the government (and therefore everyone else) to ransom for your own benefit.

If you dont like the pay/conditions/whatever find other employment you're happier with.

I would however support action other than strikes I order to try and improve conditions other than pay.

Sidge · 15/03/2014 21:49

I find it amusing that firefighters striked and had the sympathy of most of the public but nurses are expected not to strike. We should put up and shut up because we're all angels expected to work for fresh air and be thankful for our jobs.

Flossiechops · 15/03/2014 21:51

Nursey stop engaging with Retropear it won't get your point across as they are clearly not interested in listening.

agedknees · 15/03/2014 21:51

We should work to our contracts. Take our breaks. Go home on time.

NurseyWursey · 15/03/2014 21:52

Sorry flossie I bite easily Blush

NurseyWursey · 15/03/2014 21:53

If you dont like the pay/conditions/whatever find other employment you're happier with

As said previously, I know very very few nurses who are happy at the moment. What exactly would everyone do if we took your advice.

Sidge · 15/03/2014 21:54

If you dont like the pay/conditions/whatever find other employment you're happier with.

I'd love to. But I work in a team of 5 nurses in a GP practice; I think you'd find if we all left the patients would be a bit cheesed off that there were no nurses to do their smears, baby jabs, wound care, asthma and diabetic reviews, contraception, travel consultations, etc etc...

We stay because we care about our patients and love nursing, but there will come a point when I can't afford to remain in this job. I don't get incremental pay rises and don't get paid by the AfC banding. In real terms I earn less every year.

Many of you pay your cleaners more per hour than I earn as a nursing sister with nearly 20 years experience.

SuffolkNWhat · 15/03/2014 21:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Retropear · 15/03/2014 21:58

If you want more staff I would support an informative campaign for that(not a strike)illustrating just why it was needed.That said all the times I've stayed on wards with my dc they've had more than enough staff and I've done the maj of care.

But re pay and pensions(in particular the latter) sorry not so sympathetic.

Oh and I certainly didn't support the fire fighters.

Retropear · 15/03/2014 22:00

I do support teachers in some things ie not cutting holidays or increasing the day.

NurseyWursey · 15/03/2014 22:00

If you want more staff I would support an informative campaign for that(not a strike)illustrating just why it was needed.

Been there, done that.

Flossiechops · 15/03/2014 22:01

Like a broken record..... Confused

caroldecker · 15/03/2014 22:03

I do not see why private hospitals, funded by the NHS, is such a big issue for so many people. Each hospital would set its own pay and conditions and would negotiate with its work force, the govt would just fund and monitor them. These work all over Europe, often with less cost per head than the NHS.

AnneEyhtMeyer · 15/03/2014 22:03

I am trying to tell you why you won't get public support for a strike. Whatever you say the pay increments are for, people will see them as a pay rise. I didn't say this was right or wrong, but this is what you are up against.

You say the top pay band is what a midwife should be paid, but that isn't quite correct. It is what a highly experienced midwife should be paid. So paying below that level is justified.

I also think people will not be happy about pregnant women being used to fight your battles.

There has to be a better way to put your case across without putting undue stress on people who are in a vulnerable position.

SaggyAndLucy · 15/03/2014 22:04

I may be er on, I haven't seen a lot of tv recently, but did I hear on the news that other services including dentists and police will get a bigger pay rise?

Mycatistoosexy · 15/03/2014 22:04

4to1.org.uk

www.opendemocracy.net/ournhs/ournhs/nhs-campaign-guide-quality-and-safe-staffing-in-our-nhs

www.unison.org.uk/at-work/health-care/key-issues/be-safe/home/

Here. For those of you who said you would support a campaign. Let's all put up a bit of a fight and try and raise standards for all of us across the workforces, sectors and country.

NurseyWursey · 15/03/2014 22:07

Anne I would be really interested to hear if you have a better way, I truly would as it may be something the thousands of us haven't tried yet

Original poster
HolidayArmadillo · 15/03/2014 22:11

The poor police are not getting a payrise at all and don't have the option to strike. Dentists are getting 1%.

OP posts:
NurseyWursey · 15/03/2014 22:12

The police aren't either?

Sad state of affairs.

AnneEyhtMeyer · 15/03/2014 22:12

If I knew the answer, Nursey, I would be a millionaire.

But a strike would just put public opinion against you, it wouldn't help at all.

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