(See update below)
Speaking ahead of today’s debate in the Assembly on HSC pay awards, Gerry Carroll said: “It should be a source of eternal shame that the Executive finds itself once again incapable of maintaining pay parity for HSC workers. Despite promises from the Health Minister, the Executive is doing what it does best - siloed working and the blame game.”
“Pointing the finger at Westminster won’t wash either. The Executive is choosing to fork over hundreds of millions of pounds to private healthcare providers, while pleading poverty and refusing to give our healthcare workers the modest pay increases they’re owed. The stealth privatisation of our health service and our workforce crisis are directly linked."
"My own amendment calls on the Health Minister to commit to ending this shambles, and invest directly in our health service and its workers instead. I urge all MLAs who care about pay justice and the survival of our health service to vote in favour.”
Full text of the People Before Profit amendment can be found here.
17:06 UPDATE: Gerry Carroll's amendment has passed.
Assembly passes Carroll’s amendment to end stealth privatisation of health service
“I am delighted that my amendment calling on the Health Minister to end the stealth privatisation of the health service has passed in the Assembly today," Gerry Carroll said.
"Over the past five years, more than £300 million has been spent on appointments to private healthcare providers. This money can and should be used to achieve pay parity, rather than lining the pockets of profiteering private healthcare companies.”
“It is disappointing but not surprising that the Health Minister and his party, alongside the DUP and TUV, voted against this amendment. It appears that unionist parties are ideologically wedded to profit, rather than a strong and well-funded NHS.”
“But today the Assembly has spoken clearly; it’s time to guarantee the bare minimum of pay parity for our healthcare workers, and to invest directly in public healthcare - not private profit.”