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Original poster

Due on Strike day

11 replies

ceri1985 · 15/09/2011 08:53

Hi... I am due on 30th November, which is the day that this huge public sector strike is planned for :(
I know that there is only a small chance that DD will arrive on her due date, but if I go over, there is a chance that there will be further strikes.

I am having NHS midwife-led care. Does anyone know how this will be affected by the strike?

Thanks.

OP posts:
theowlwhowasafraidofthedark · 15/09/2011 08:58

The midwives and nurses will not be going on strike.

gluttom · 15/09/2011 10:09

nurses and midwives are not allowed to strike - that is why the get treated appalling ( biased as i am a nurse)

Original poster
ceri1985 · 15/09/2011 10:44

Thank you soooo much. I know its a bit selfish of me to be worried.
I'm now curious as to why nurses and midwives are not allowed to strike but fire brigades are... bizarre.
Thanks again :)

OP posts:
Haribojoe · 15/09/2011 13:19

gluttom is right midwives are not allowed to strike as they have a duty of care.

gallicgirl · 16/09/2011 17:12

The employer is always given enough notice to arrange alternative cover if staff do strike. Don't worry.

PS: I'd have thought nurses and midwives ARE allowed to strike but perhaps feel they shouldn't due to duty of care. I'd be very surprised if this was written into their contracts. I think they're allowed to be in a union and therefore have right to strike. Intrigued now.

gluttom · 16/09/2011 17:25

The union - RCN does not allow striking. Historically, nurses have not been allowed to take industrial action, but a rule change in the mid 1990s permitted measures which do not harm patient care.

This effectively rules out an all-out strike, but does allow nurses to refuse to work overtime and do paperwork NHS trusts use to demonstrate that they have met targets.

gluttom · 16/09/2011 17:28

The worst we can do is "work to rule" basically be a jobsworth who does not do any extras and walks out exactly at home time - time unpaid breaks which we never take and no do any extra jobs other than nursing/ midwifery care .

iskra · 16/09/2011 17:33

That's interesting gluttom. Does the same apply to the doctor unions?

gluttom · 16/09/2011 17:44

At the moment the British Medical Association does not support strike action by its members due to the constraints of medical ethics.

gallicgirl · 16/09/2011 18:12

You live and learn. I thought I had vague memories of nurses going on strike when I was a kid but I must be mistaken.

SauvignonBlanche · 16/09/2011 18:21

Nurses are allowed to strike but the main union, The Royal College of Nursing has a no-strike rule. This does not apply to other unions.
I wouldn't worry OP.

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