Care Quality Commission staff walked out on strike in Newcastle city centre and warned that a failure to solve a pay dispute meant staff were leaving and inspections of hospitals, GP surgeries and care homes were being delayed.
The CQC is the regulator for health and social care providers. Staff who are members of unions including UNISON, Unite and the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) have walked-out as their industrial dispute continues. Members - who include inspectors, data analysts and call centre staff - have never been on strike before.
It comes in response to a pay increase offer of between 2.75% and 3.5%, and a one-off payment of £100 or £150 which was tabled in December. Analyst Sooz Ceska - who lives in Gateshead - is a UNISON staff rep.
