NHS pay campaign: all eyes on the PM for June’s #2DaysFor2k

With the Pay Review Body’s recommendation on NHS pay already likely to be on the Prime Minister’s desk at Number 10, the decision on what the announcement will be rests solely with him.

From the 23-25 June, UNISON health members, branches and regions all over the country got out and about campaigning for what was likely to be the last ‘2 days for 2k’.

Here are some of the best bits from around the UK:

Northern Ireland

With a 1% pay rise mooted earlier this year, Northern Ireland got creative to get the government to change its tune. The Pay Rise Song, by Emer Maguire, urges the PM to “be a go-getter” reminding him the NHS saved his life, and thousands more. Bravo!

INTRODUCING….

by @EmerMofficial
#AllEyesOnBoris to make a decision on #NHSpay.

Read more about UNISONs One Team 2K Campaign now: https://t.co/Znj9Rbsuqr #OneTeam2k
️@BayviewMedia pic.twitter.com/eJWpeTGsFC

— UNISON NI (@UNISONNI) June 24, 2021

Greater London

Members from London branches took the message straight to Westminster to tell the PM the eyes of 1.4 million NHS workers are on him as he makes his decision.

In Homerton, the local message was loud and clear: staff know they are worth more than 1%.

These fantastic colleagues deserve a decent pay rise, @BorisJohnson. Feeling unvalued is causing people to leave the NHS. #payrisefornhs #PayriseForNurses #Payupnow #OneTeam2k #AllEyesOnBoris pic.twitter.com/J03fpDHRZD

— HomertonUNISON (@HomertonUNISON) June 23, 2021

Northern

In Newcastle, every part of the NHS team made their voices heard.

UNISON members at Newcastle Hospitals add their voices to the #2Daysfor2k #NHSPay campaign #AllEyesOnBoris pic.twitter.com/Pu3sUSlAcE

— UNISON NUTH (@UnisonNUTH) June 23, 2021

Cymru/Wales

In Cymru/Wales, UNISON handed a letter to the health minister calling for an urgent and significant pay award.

Eastern

The front of house catering team at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire wore their One Team 2K t-shirts for the day. Cupcakes, fruit and hot drinks for busy staff provided a great opportunity for the branch to talk about UNISON’s pay campaign.

ISS-employed domestic services staff at Luton and Dunstable Hospital kept a watchful eye on the PM as they enjoyed an ice cream.

North West

“We need more than 1%” said hardworking young nurses in Liverpool. Such an insult would be felt by the whole NHS team.

“As young healthcare workers who have worked through the pandemic, we feel the 1% pay rise is insulting to our generation and all other hardworking healthcare workers” #2daysfor2K #NHSpay pic.twitter.com/yL1Yalg7gv

— LHHB Unison (@LhhbUnison) June 28, 2021

South East

Members rolled out the banners in Kent and lots of other sites…

All eyes are on Boris now to make the decision on NHS pay Our NHS staff deserve a real pay rise #AllEyesOnBoris #nhspay
Our members campaigning in Kent @UNISONSE @UNISONOurNHS pic.twitter.com/jTjG8tRcdB

— Clare Boorman (@clare_boorman) June 24, 2021

…and the region held an online pay rally with shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth and UNISON’s deputy head of health Helga Pile.

South West

At Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, hundreds of hard working staff members contacted their MPs and cooled off with an ice cream.

Great start to our #2DaysFor2K campaign for a decent NHS pay rise at Derriford hospital. Free ice cream for @UHP_NHS staff from @UNISONSW come see us! We’re here til 2pm #AllEyesOnBoris pic.twitter.com/LxckMp2PUl

— Simon Wintle (@simon_wintle) June 24, 2021

Those more recently born in the NHS were backing the campaign too!

Our Gloucestershire Lead Stewards Children helping promote the #oneteam2k campaign bright and early this morning! #AllEyesOnBoris #unison pic.twitter.com/9JhdjTsAHu

— SWAAHB UNISON (@SWAAHBUNISON) June 26, 2021

Yorkshire & Humberside

After everything the NHS has done over the past year and a half, staff expect the PM to have a heart. Cardiology teams in Hull and East Riding say they deserve a pay rise.

Our members working in Cardiology support a pay rise for all healthcare staff. #oneteam2k #payupnow #nhspay ⁦@unisontheunion⁩ ⁦@unisonyh⁩ ⁦@unisonHERHealth⁩ pic.twitter.com/VJIhgYld0x

— Unison Hull & East Riding Health (@unisonHERHealth) June 24, 2021

West Midlands

NHS staff have been leaning on each other since 1948. Here are two of them writing postcards to ask local MPs for their support.

Meanwhile, those at Sandwell General Hospital showed Boris Johnson there are ’99’ reasons why he should give all staff in the NHS a pay rise!