Health workers and ambulance staff will take part in a second four-hour strike over pay on Monday (November 24) causing disruption to the NHS.
Unison, Unite, GMB and the Royal College of Midwives, the Society of Radiographers are among the unions striking across the country, with an impact on North West Ambulance Service and hospitals including the Countess of Chester.
Staff, who will take action between 7am and 11am on Monday, are angry after the government rejected the independent Pay Review Body recommendation of a 1% pay rise for 2014/15.
The strike will be followed by six days of action short of a strike between Tuesday and Sunday when members will take their scheduled breaks, leave on time and not work unpaid overtime.
Amy Barringer, UnisonNorth West’s head of health, said: “Morale is low in our NHS. Staff are working hard to keep services afloat but are being treated very badly by the government. NHS workers are now 10% worse off than they were in 2010 and the refusal to pay even 1% this year has felt like a slap in the face.
“More unions are taking part in the strike action than last time and the pressure on the government to treat NHS staff fairly is growing.
“Health workers feel over worked and under-valued. They feel they have no option but to take action for fair pay. The government needs to listen.”
Arrangements are in place to ensure emergency and critical care is unaffected.
