"I'm here to demand for a fair pay for us all so I can provide for my son and give him the childhood he deserves".
Those were the words spoken by nurse Ross Sheridan on the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) picket line outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital this morning. Around 150 nurses gathered in the shadow of the children's hospital in Knotty Ash in the ongoing dispute over pay and patient safety.
Today marked the first time in the RCN's history that such strike action had been held after the union's calls to meet the government have fallen on deaf ears. Ross, who has worked in the NHS for 10 years and at Alder Hey for one, told the ECHO : "We hear stories of nurses having to use foodbanks to feed their kids.
READ MORE: Angry and tired, Liverpool's defiant nurses make their voices heard
"I haven't seen that from my colleagues yet but everyone is saying how Christmas is going to be different. We want fair pay for nurses because it's not been easy. We don't do this for the money. We do it from our heart but we still have to put food on the table and live a life. I want to make sure I can provide for my six-year-old son."
Tens of thousands of nurses have gone on strike in the biggest walkout by NHS staff this country has seen. Strikers gathered at a host of other sites across Merseyside including the Royal Liverpool Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and Liverpool Women's Hospital.
Pat Cullen, head of the RCN, said: "This is a tragic day for nursing, it's a tragic day for patients. The RCN want a 19% pay rise as below inflation increases have compromised care. On the Alder Hey picket line this morning nurses stressed the strike was as much about working conditions as it was pay.
Adrian Williams, a specialist practitioner and RCN committee strike member, told the ECHO nursing levels have dropped significantly to the point where there is a 30,000 shortfall. Adrian said: "Pay is one thing, but staffing is another reason why we are out today. With the changes that have happened over the years we decided it was time we did something.
"Departments are so stretched, especially children's mental health nursing. We're seeing people go off all the time and it's not down to sickness. We're not seeing the large drop off times at hospitals and patients in the corridors like at other hospitals. But A&E figures are constantly going up which swamps the system - we're seeing that at the moment with Strep A. We can't do the day to day stuff."
Two young nurses, who did not want to be named, work in Alder Hey on a surgery ward. And they told the ECHO how surgeries are being cancelled due to staff shortfall. Speaking regarding possible criticism that nurses might face about patient safety during the strikes, Adrian stressed hundreds of staff at the hospital wanted to strike but have continued to work on wards to ensure safe levels.
On the picket line banners and placards stamped with slogans including "It's time to pay nursing staff fairly" and "safe staffing saves lives" were held by nurses. Chants of "save the NHS" and "no ifs, not buts, no NHS cuts" rang out led by picket organisers brandishing a megaphone.
Claire Austin, an assistant practitioner who has worked in the NHS for 16 years, told the ECHO of the importance of the service. She said: "I want to protect our NHS. The NHS was there for me when I went through some ill health last year and they are still supporting me now.
"I love my job. And I truly believe in the NHS because it's an incredible service. It needs protecting. I just want the government to meet us and get around the table and talk. It's insulting after they clapped for us just two years ago."
The nurses were joined on the picket line by Liverpool dockers from Unite the Union and postal workers from the Communication Workers Union. Knotty Ash locals dropped off drinks and food for the strikers - and drivers travelling on East Prescot Road honked their horns in support.
The biggest cheer of the morning came when a North West Ambulance Service drove past with its sirens on. Claire said: "The people of Liverpool are amazing - they will always back the strikers."
Today's strike action is the first of two days this month, with further walk outs expected on December 20. The RCN has also warned there will be more action in January unless Steve Barclay, the secretary of state for health and social care, meets with the union.
Ross added: "Today has gone even better than I thought it would. We're prepared to come out in this freezing weather - it shows how much it means to us. We want fair pay and better working conditions to ensure patient safety is the best it can be. Enough is enough."
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