Industrial action which was due to take place has been called off after Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris agreed to meet with union representatives.
Members of Unison and NIPSA working within the healthcare system were due to take part in the action on Monday with similar action taking place today after the Department of Health said that it could not make a pay offer.
Representatives from Unison, Nipsa, The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and The Royal College of Midwives will meet the Secretary of State on Wednesday.
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Commenting on this development, Rita Devlin, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland said: “Nursing staff working in Northern Ireland have been angry and frustrated at the continuing lack of clarity in relation to a pay offer for health care staff in Northern Ireland alongside the worsening conditions being experienced by both patients and staff across all areas of health and social care.
“Following a meeting earlier this week with the Department of Health we were no further forward and requested a meeting with the Secretary of State as a matter of urgency. We are pleased that Chris Heaton-Harris has now agreed to meet the RCN and other health unions.
“It is clear that the absence of devolved institutions is having a devastating impact, not only on the staff who are working hard to deliver health and social care to the people of Northern Ireland, but on the services themselves, many of which face uncertainty due to the continuing political impasse."
Ms Devlin added that it is a scandal that we have reached the end of the financial year without a new budget for health and no pay rise for health workers.
“Last year RCN members in Northern Ireland voted alongside colleagues in England and Wales to take strike action over pay," she continued.
"We are clear that it will be completely unacceptable to our members if they are not offered at least the same pay award as nursing staff working in England. Falling out of pay parity was exactly why our members first took strike action in 2019 and they will not be prepared to accept this again.
“If this situation is not resolved urgently, we will be considering what further action, including strike, we must take to ensure our members are not left behind again.”
On foot of this offer to meet, UNISON has demanded confirmation that such a meeting will be a genuine engagement and will result in negotiation to produce a meaningful offer which they can take to their members.
The union said that they expect nothing less from this engagement and while they will not stand down their action short of strike and will continue with today's strike action, their health committee is prepared to pause next Monday's planned 24 hour strike to enable talks to take place.
Patricia McKeown said: "Our members determination to escalate strike action today and again on Monday finally got the message through to those in power. Health workers across Northern Ireland will not be left behind.
"The mood of strikers at Belfast City Hall this morning, outside the Secretary of State's office and on picket lines across Northern Ireland is one of utter determination to secure their rights.
"They never take industrial action lightly. They care about our health and social services and the public they serve but they have been driven to the brink.
"Their message now is equally clear - This must be real or the strike action will escalate."
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