Management have said that this will be take place through ‘natural wastage’ and voluntary redundancy, but the closure of the Elliott Dynes Rehabilitation Unit shows that these assurances from the Belfast Trust’s bosses are worthless. Regardless, medical secretaries are skilled workers who perform vital administrative work, allowing the health service to function. The loss of these jobs will inevitably lead to a less efficient service and longer waiting lists. The number of people awaiting hospital appointments has already increased 27% over three months this year!
Through the demonstrations they have held and their positive response to consultation about action from their unions, it is clear that these workers are determined to fight the Trust’s proposals. Any action taken by these workers must receive the support of all trade unionists- they are not just fighting to defend their jobs, but our health service. It will undoubtedly be the first of many struggles to come, as the parties in the Assembly deepen their assault on public spending, which has already seen £813 million cut from our health service since 2009.
"Minister Gormley's annoucement that the funding necessary to improve the water infrastructure will amount to €1.8 billion comes as no surprise given the legacy of neglect and the absence of water conservation as well as rain and grey water harvesting measures advocated by myself and others during the buidling boom.
Capitalist system incapable of facing up to natural disasters – democratic control of reconstruction and relief work needed
Alasdair McDonnell,leader of the SDLP decided to start the year by flying in the faces of ordinary workingclass people who are struggling to make ends meet. McDonnell claimed that as an MLA, “you could findyourself at 57 or 58 years of age left on the street...if there was a reasonably generous sliding exit and some sort of a pension provisionthere, that would make sure they weren’t landed in poverty?”.