HEALTHCARE workers and their supporters marched through the streets of Doncaster in South Yorkshire at the weekend to mark the end of their latest two-week strike against a savage attack on wages and conditions by privateers.

And the 150 members of public-service union Unison voted overwhelmingly to strike again in their long-running struggle against the profit-hungry health vultures who are trying to tear their working lives apart.

The strike has become a national focus of resistance to the handing over of the NHS to privateers, who then attack staff pay and working conditions.

The Doncaster staff work with people with learning difficulties and mental health problems, enabling them to maintain independent lives in the community.

The work was contracted to the NHS by Doncaster Council but Tory legislation forces councils to put such contracts out to tender and award them to the cheapest bidder. The Doncaster contract was won by privateer Care UK which narrowly undercut the NHS bid.

Within weeks of the staff’s jobs being transferred last year Care UK announced wage cuts of up to £7,000 a year, coupled with the axing of holidays and sick pay.

The staff voted by more than 90 per cent to strike, and have so far staged 34 days of stoppages. The two-week strike which ended this weekend was the longest so far.

On Saturday members of the public applauded as the 150 care workers and around 200 supporters marched through Doncaster town centre.

The march was followed by a rally and the handing over of £2,000 to the strikers’ fighting fund from union branches, organisations and individuals.

Unison regional organiser Jim Bell said: “There were speakers from Doncaster’s Turkish community who talked about the mining disaster in Soma.

“They said that private mines in Turkey are 11 times more dangerous than nationalised mines and we had a minute’s silence for the miners killed there.”

A second rally was staged yesterday at Doncaster Trades and Labour Club where the workers vowed to strike again in the next few weeks.

Mr Bell added: “The mood was upbeat and they are ready for it. We will be here long after Care UK has gone.”

The company is attempting to undermine the strike action by drafting in scab labour.