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NHS workers take to the streets in protest against government's refusal to offer them a pay rise

THOUSANDS of nurses and other NHS workers took to the streets at the weekend in protest against the government’s refusal to offer a pay rise despite their heroism during the coronavirus pandemic.

In 40 cities, towns and smaller communities nationwide, health workers demonstrated on Saturday to express their anger, disillusionment and bitterness towards the government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who clapped them in the spring but has now denied them a wage increase.

The biggest protest took place in London and involved a march on Downing Street that ended with a rally.

Health workers fell silent for two minutes as a mark of respect for colleagues who have lost their lives fighting Covid-19.

Marchers were applauded by members of the public as they headed to Downing Street and chants of “Boris Johnson hear us shout, pay us properly or get out” were directed at No 10.

Among the hand-made placards were some saying merely “540,” the number of NHS and care workers who have died from coronavirus.

Another used the letters of the word “nurse” to spell out “Neglected, underpaid, refused, suppressed, exhausted.”

One nurse’s placard sent a message to the public: “We are the backbone of the NHS and it is breaking without your support.”

Health service staff were excluded from the wage increase for 900,000 public-sector workers announced a couple of weeks ago because they are in the final year of a three-year pay agreement.

Instead, they are due a rise next April, but unions want the government to show appreciation of NHS workers’ efforts during the pandemic by bringing it forward to this year.

Dave Carr, a critical care nurse at St Thomas’s — the hospital where Mr Johnson was treated — said that staff were “on their knees” following months of hard work during the Covid-19 crisis.

He said that “there’s a lot of PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] around” among colleagues and that many were worried about the possibility of a second wave of virus cases.

In Glasgow, protesters used two-metre lengths of blue ribbon to ensure social distancing.

Slogans seen on placards in Glasgow Green included “Enough empty praise, geez a fair raise,” “Covid hero, pay rise zero” and “Who saved you, Boris?”

In Leeds, home-made placards read: “Stop giving nurses the clap,” “From hero To £zero,” “Nurses are for life, not just for lockdown” and “Hell yes! NHS!”

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