Scores of nurses braved the freezing conditions on Thursday for a second day of strikes in Greater Manchester. The walk-out over pay and conditions follows a wave of strikes from other NHS workers, including paramedics last week.
This week was the first time members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) had walked out in Greater Manchester in its 106-year history. Nurses argued they would rather be caring for patients than protesting, but that the current difficult working conditions had left them no choice.
Despite freezing temperatures and snow falling outside The Christie cancer centre in Withington, nurses continued to protest in solidarity for their voices to be heard and to highlight their struggles. Protests were also held at Tameside and Glossop and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS trusts.
Signs saying 'we care for you - will you care for us?', 'National Hell Service', and 'nurses are for life, not just lockdown' came with continued chants "What do we want? Safe Staffing!" and "what do we want? Fairy pay!" throughout the strike.
The constant blaring of car horns from passersby spurred the nurses to cheer and chant louder, drawing attention and attracting more people to the cause.
Annie Rose, Rachel Hogan, and Julie Hunter worked the night shift last night without a break, and despite working later today, they were out protesting for safer staffing and better patient care.
Annie said: "The services are an over-stretching of staff and understaffing - it's an environment where we are unable to meet all the conflicting demands. There's not enough staff to make time to allow us to work properly. It's not just about fairer pay, it's about providing patients quality care that they deserve."
Rachel said: "Nurses are fortunate if during a 12-hour shift they get a moment's break. We have been working all night, haven't eaten or slept, and will be working again later. We have very little free time but it just highlights how vital these strikes are needed."
Yesterday Representatives from the RMT and ASLEF rail worker unions came and showed their solidarity with the nurses, while today Pat Brennan, a firefighter at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said 'their fight is our fight' while holding up a held up a Fire Brigade's Union sign.
Pat said: "I'm here to support the nurses because the NHS is in crisis - they have spent years of being undervalued with pay freezes long before Covid-19. There was an overwhelming majority from the industrial action ballots voting to strike - the figures speak for themselves. Everyone has a friend or family member that is a nurse or who has been cared for and saved by one."
With nurses taking a stance from their night shift and other members of hospital staff on shift, they chanted in an emotional and moving atmosphere that brought some members of the public attending to quiet tears. It is clear the nurses on the picket line refused to be deterred by the bitter cold - and unified in what was a successful turnout.
Anu Varghese, who has worked as a nurse since 1998 said: "If we don't strike the NHS will decline further and there may be nothing left of it in the future. We need solidarity now more than ever to save our NHS."
Along the picket lines there were sweaters, gloves and other warm clothing ready to be handed out to protesters, gifted by members of the local community, and people also kept warm with tea and coffee handed out for free to keep spirits up.
One nurse said: "There are nurses here who weren't able to strike today or yesterday because they can't afford to take the two days off. It's terrible, there are nurses who are single parents and go to food banks, while still working all hours of the day.
"I was inspired to come here because chemotherapy saved my partner's life, and he's alive and well because of that - my mum is also a patient here at The Christie. I work alongside nurses every day and the problem is that they still provide amazing care because of their relentless goodwill, but goodwill doesn't pay the nurses.
"It's not safe and it's not sustainable, the NHS provide this amazing service despite the awful circumstances but they feel burnt out and underappreciated. Patient staff ratio is unsafe and new graduates joining us are noticing this - causing them to leave within six to 12 months. They don't want to be part of this house on fire."
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