Strike day reflections

Wow! What an end to 2022, with hundreds of nursing staff across Wales supporting the RCN Wales strike action to tell the Welsh government: #EnoughIsEnough

I was overwhelmed to see nurses, nursing students and health care support workers standing together in solidarity last month to have their voices heard about safe staffing and patient care.

Many of our members became superstars overnight, doing us proud when speaking with the press about your personal experiences and why you made the decision to take strike action. It is fair to say many of us had tears in our eyes listening to some of these accounts and that was so powerful for the public and politicians to hear.

What phenomenal support we had from members of the public. Their generosity was humbling and demonstrated they are behind us 100%. The public clapped us through the pandemic, and they are backing us now in our fight to gain the fair pay that nursing staff deserve.

I must also give a shout out to the other NHS workers who supported our picket lines. Some of these people also forewent their pay on those days, even though their unions were not on strike.

This week I joined RCN members in England to support the strike action in organisations that did not take part in the first strike days. You can show solidarity for your colleagues in England by supporting them on social media with the hashtags #FairPayForNursing #RCNStrike #NursesStrike

Back in Wales, we recently attended a meeting with the Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan. We had understood that this would be an opportunity to explore ways of coming to a negotiated agreement on the 2022/23 NHS pay award, but the approach put forward – an offer of a non-consolidated one-off payment – does not address the need for the substantial and enduring pay rise that we have been calling for.

Therefore, if progress is not made in negotiations this month, we will be going out on strike again on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 February. Please join us on the picket lines next month - keep an eye on the RCN strike action webpage for details of times and locations. Remember: we are striking for patient safety, for the future of nursing, and to save the NHS in Wales.

You can also keep up the pressure on the Welsh government by sending an email to your Member of the Senedd. Encourage family and friends to do this too!

And if you would like more information on the strike action and how you can get involved visit our Strike Hub.

For the sake of our families and the patients in our care, we need to stand together and ensure our collective voice is heard so that Welsh government puts a stop to this.

I would love to hear about your personal experiences of strike action and what prompted you to take the decision to strike. Find me on Twitter @nichughes1 or email your story to CommunicationsWales@rcn.org.uk