Once again Health workers are being treated with contempt by political leaders.

Despite working through a pandemic that saw thousands of lives lost, workers going without PPE and having to leave their families behind to fight the Covid virus- the worst health crisis in over 100 years, an insulting pay offer of 3% has been made to them.

Not only is this offer insulting, it doesn’t keep up with inflation and amounts to an actual pay cut for workers but it falls far, far short of  the demands of health workers and their unions who have varryingly demanded- 12.5%, 15% or £2000 and a £3,000 uplift in pay. Once again we may see workers take strike action against Stormont’s pay offer for health workers.

Stormont Ministers clapped for health workers but when it comes to making a pay offer that recognises the incredible and brave work done through the pandemic- this offer fails to do it, has to be taken of the table and a much more significant one made.

Throughout the pandemic we have seen the number of billionaires and their wealth balloon. In the UK there have been an extra 24 billionaires created during the pandemic. Wealth among billionaires increased by 21.7% over the year, rising by £106.5 billion to £597.2 billion. The wealthy should be taxed to pay to fully fund the health service and fair pay offers for the workers in it.

We owe health workers more than claps and gratitude- time for a proper and fair pay offer- the 3% offer is neither of those and must be resisted.