“At today’s Stormont Health Committee meeting representatives of the SDLP, Alliance and the UUP disgracefully backed the DUP in its attempt to opportunistically put the boot into UNISON for being brazen enough to ask why they weren’t consulted about UUP Minister’s divisive announcement on bringing the army into hospitals.
The DUP never misses an opportunity to attack trade unions and workers seeking rights. This is nothing but an attempt by the DUP and those who dance to its tune to undermine trade unions who’ve been a bedrock throughout this crisis. Frontline health care workers are underpaid, overworked and are now being further undermined by Executive parties who should really hang their heads in shame.
The Executive has failed health workers throughout the crisis. Its policies have put people in the ground unnecessarily. They have left people in economic ruin.
Throughout the pandemic the DUP and the entire Executive has ignored trade union proposals on how to ease the burden on the health service. This Executive parties have ignored calls for increased staffing and an immediate pay rise to boost morale and help recruitment.
The political establishment here is rotten to its core. They will do anything to blame others for the crisis in the health service they have created through years of budget cuts.
The proposal to bring in the army should be questioned. It should be challenged. It’s designed to be divisive. It should not be necessary and it should not be happening. There are many other alternatives to the divisive path being chosen by the Executive.”
