Unison Glasgow Clyde & CVS Branch 

UNISON held demonstrations across NHSGGC as part of a wider Scottish Campaign for higher wages in recognition of the work undertaken by NHS workers during the coronavirus crisis.

In a series of linked, socially-distanced protests across Glasgow, nurses and key healthcare workers demonstrated in front of hospitals from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Cathy Millar, Branch Secretary said that the protestors were demanding higher wages for all health workers, including domestics, porters and cleaners, essential for keeping the hospital running and controlling the spread of infection.

She said that hospitals would "fall apart" without these key workers.

The Health Secretary met with UNISON members following the demonstrations to discuss their demand for the three-year pay deal to re-open, in light of the added pressures of the pandemic but did not commit to a pay rise.

Frances Carmichael, Assistant Branch Secretary said: "It's about time NHS staff were recognised properly."

She added: "We're arguing that due to the cost of living increase, other public sector pay increases and also the added costs of working through Covid that it has been a huge cost to members, financially as well as mentally."

Asked what she would say if she were to meet Jeane Freeman at the talks this afternoon, Frances said: "NHS staff deserve a pay rise for the job that they do.

"A lot of them go through years of university but we also have our domestic porters who are grafters and they have been at the frontline trying to keep the hospital as clean as possible and at the same time you have the nurses trying to save lives.

"We're not saying that we're heroes and we deserve it more than everyone else. We all played our part but there needs to be the recognition that NHS staff are way behind in pay."