Nurses have been there for us all throughout this crisis. But, the pandemic has pushed them to their limits.
A new poll released today on International Nurses Day shows that the majority of the public stand behind a substantial pay rise for nurses.
The poll, conducted by YouGov, shows that 77 percent of people support a ten percent pay increase for nurses, with seven percent opposing it.
Over three quarters (78 percent) of the public want to see nurses receive an annual pay rise above the rate of inflation.
Safety
Nurses United UK, a grassroots campaign group, is calling for a safe workplace, with life-saving PPE and adequate staffing to provide the care they want to give. They are also calling for and support for aspiring nurses to train, with a living bursary and free tuition.
The campaign demands a fair wage, one that reverses the cuts to real wages that nurses have faced and concrete steps to end discrimination that existed before the pandemic.
Nurses United UK is also calling for a public enquiry into the Government’s handling of Covid-19.
Anthony Johnson, a health visitor and lead organiser for Nurses United said: “Nurses United was founded to allow frontline nurses to be organised and led by frontline nurses - to fight for safe staffing, equipment and fairer wages.
"Covid-19 has reminded us of the enormous contribution that nurses make and how much we rely on them for our health and wellbeing."
Recovery
Johnson continued: “Nurses across the country are putting themselves at risk in an effort to look after us and protect us. Sadly many nurses from a BAME background have paid a heavy price. We want more for nurses and we want to ensure that they are paid a fair wage for all that they do.”
The campaign is backed by #BuildBackBetter – the campaign for a coronavirus recovery plan that protects public services, tackles inequality in our communities, provides secure well paid jobs and creates a shockproof economy which can fight the climate crisis.
Fatima Ibrahim, co-executive director of Build Back Better said: “Nurses have been there for us all throughout this crisis. But, the pandemic has pushed them to their limits, and has underlined what nurses already know - that they have not been valued or invested in enough.
"We need a new deal for our public services. The only Coronavirus recovery that will work is one that builds back better, for nurses, for our NHS, and for our planet."
This Author
Marianne Brooker is The Ecologist's content editor. This article is based on a press release from Green New Deal UK.
Image: Sam Roberts.
