HCT is calling a national demonstration in London on 4th March . We believe the time has come to demonstrate the breadth and depth of support for the NHS and anger and opposition to the destructiveness of Tory policies.
Sat 4th March is going to be a big demonstration. With Britain’s biggest union, Unite, already backing the demonstration, now Unison the biggest public-sector union has decided at its NEC meeting this week to also back the demonstration.
Other unions were already backing the march, see the list of supporting organisations.
‘Health Campaigns Together’ is a national network of over thirty NHS campaigning organisations and unions working together to co-ordinate action to defend the NHS.
Our National Health Service is at breaking point. On the backdrop of gross underfunding and continued cuts and closures of NHS services, private companies seek to gain even more of a foothold within the NHS. Continued pay restraint has seen the value of NHS staff salaries reduce by 14% since 2010 and there are now 25,000 nursing and 3,500 midwifery vacancies in NHS England alone.
By March the “winter crisis” will not be over and the full reality of the STP plans will have become clearer to many more people. We believe this could be a massive demonstration, bringing together the growing number of community campaigns with the trade union movement.
Theresa May’s demands for yet more austerity in the NHS represent a real risk to the safety of patients and the service. The Government’s latest plans for Sustainability and Transformation Plans are in reality just a smokescreen for further cuts and it’s latest instrument of privatisation.
The NHS is the single greatest achievement of working class people in Britain. We cannot allow it to be undermined and ultimately destroyed. We must march together, sending a clear message to the government; “the NHS will last as long as there are folk with the faith to fight for it.”
You can download the Health Campaigns Together letter here….hct-demo-letter-final
You can find the facebook event here….
Greater Manchester Keep Our NHS Public coach, 6.30am Chorlton Street coach station, Manchester city centre. Tickets £20 waged, £10 low/unwaged. Email konpmcr@hotmail.com with your name and phone number to book your place.
This is going to be BIG it needs to be BIG and this is why…
Keep our NHS public Greater Manchester 