Northern Ireland Health and Social Care - use your vote to get your voice heard

Catherine Elliman – CSP steward at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust – urges members to have their say in our pay consultation, running until 3 July 2023

by elliman

At the end of June, health and social care staff in Northern Ireland will once again be the lowest paid in the UK. 

The CSP has now opened a consultation to assess if members would consider taking industrial action over our lack of a pay award. 

In the midst of political stalemate it can be tempting to ignore the e-mails from the CSP and to think "what can we can do to make any change" or “what’s the point”. But, it is really important we make our voice heard.

The CSP is continuing to work with other unions with members in health and social care in Northern Ireland, to try to improve the financial package available to staff.

A clear response from the membership would give the CSP a strong mandate, and a sharpened voice that we can then use to negotiate with whoever will listen.  

It might seem frightening to consider strike action, but this is only an early step to gauge our strength of feeling. The consultation does not commit us to going out on strike and, if we receive a really good response, it’ll help the CSP to say publicly how members are feeling – it also allows us to consider an industrial action ballot.

So, take a second out of what I know is a really busy work schedule and read the e-mail and cast your vote. The members in Northern Ireland need to be heard - not held back by our lack of a functioning Executive.  

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