Death of 2 Nurses

[shirleybanister]

Am I being unreasonable to think that nurses, especially those with dependent children, should not be risking their lives, caring for Covid 19 patients, without adequate PPE?
I can’t tell you how sad I felt to hear of the deaths of two nurses, both working in acute medical units, both with 3 children.
A weekly round of applause isn’t going to help bereaved families come to terms with their grief, nor is it going to help pay their bills.

The NHS budget may have been increased year on year, but so has the number of people using it. Resulting in more treatments, more expansion, more staff.

Re: the original post and earlier responses - society is putting a value on people all the time. By not providing PPE they are sending a message.

The clapping probably does make NHS staff feel more valued. It also makes the clappers feel that they are in some way helping.

I bet that if you asked those clappers to contribute financially to the NHS 30% would refuse.

Post C 19 that figure would probably rise to 70%. One of the knock on effects of tax avoidance/evasion is that public services are underfunded.

Totally agree with blueglassandfreesias. What are the trade unions doing? Have they lost so much power that they can't even stand up for their members in a life and death situation?

The trade unions aren't as powerful as they were but people would be complaining if we still had the likes of the militant unions in the 1970s and 1980s in Liverpool and at Leyland/Austin in Birmingham . Either way they can't force the government to buy ppe and look how it would go down if they called a strike over it.

I agree that strike action wouldn't be a good idea. Though I do think they should be doing more to bring it to the attention of the public. A five minute walkout perhaps, with banners - We need money more than claps.

According to the BBC, key workers are afraid of speaking to the press. That shouldn't stop the unions from talking on their behalf!

If some action is not taken now the great British public will continue to think that it's okay for some in society to be vastly overpaid while public services are underfunded.