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| NHS strike: Unite and GMB unions in NI walk out over pay | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| More than 4,000 NHS staff in Northern Ireland have gone on strike over pay. | |
| Members of the unions, Unite and GMB, walked out at 11:00 BST and are due to resume work at 14:30 BST on Monday. | |
| Urgent and emergency services are not being targeted, unions said. Healthcare workers from across Belfast are to protest at Stormont at 13:00 BST. | Urgent and emergency services are not being targeted, unions said. Healthcare workers from across Belfast are to protest at Stormont at 13:00 BST. |
| Unions want a 1% pay rise to be implemented for all staff, but the NHS said this would cost too much. | Unions want a 1% pay rise to be implemented for all staff, but the NHS said this would cost too much. |
| Among those taking strike action in Northern Ireland are office workers, laboratory and pharmacy staff, community nurses and catering staff. | Among those taking strike action in Northern Ireland are office workers, laboratory and pharmacy staff, community nurses and catering staff. |
| Kevin McAdam of Unite said the workers were saying: "Enough is enough." | Kevin McAdam of Unite said the workers were saying: "Enough is enough." |
| "We haven't had a pay rise of any substance over the past four or five years," he said. | "We haven't had a pay rise of any substance over the past four or five years," he said. |
| "In fact, our members reckon their wages have dropped by 15% in real terms over the last four years." | "In fact, our members reckon their wages have dropped by 15% in real terms over the last four years." |
| Mr McAdam told BBC NI's Good Morning Ulster that the unions had given negotiation "every effort". | Mr McAdam told BBC NI's Good Morning Ulster that the unions had given negotiation "every effort". |
| "We absolutely understand the service is under strain, but our members are also under strain," he said. | "We absolutely understand the service is under strain, but our members are also under strain," he said. |
| "A strike is not something our members take lightly and the decision was not taken lightly." | "A strike is not something our members take lightly and the decision was not taken lightly." |
| Mr McAdam said the agreement reached in Scotland to pay a living wage and give a 1% pay rise could actually end up saving the Government money. | Mr McAdam said the agreement reached in Scotland to pay a living wage and give a 1% pay rise could actually end up saving the Government money. |
| In England, six unions took strike action on Monday from 07:00 BST to 11:00 BST. | |
| Those unions have more than 400,000 members in the NHS in England, out of 1.3m staff. | Those unions have more than 400,000 members in the NHS in England, out of 1.3m staff. |
| The government has given NHS staff a 1% pay rise, but not for those who get automatic progression-in-the-job rises. | The government has given NHS staff a 1% pay rise, but not for those who get automatic progression-in-the-job rises. |
| Those increases are given to about half of all staff members and are worth 3% a year on average. | Those increases are given to about half of all staff members and are worth 3% a year on average. |
| The decision by ministers went against the recommendation of the independent pay review board, which called for an across-the-board rise. | The decision by ministers went against the recommendation of the independent pay review board, which called for an across-the-board rise. |
| In Scotland, a 1% pay rise was given to everyone, while no decision has been made in Northern Ireland. | In Scotland, a 1% pay rise was given to everyone, while no decision has been made in Northern Ireland. |