Save our NHS – further solidarity messages

Solidarity with the NHS

Messages

7 March 2012

Eight further messages of support for the Save our NHS Rally held on 7 March, from:

• Ireland - ICTU
• Public Services International and its Southern Africa committee
• Health unions in Argentina, Cuba, South Korea, Portugal and Sweden

Ireland - ICTU

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is proud to be associated and to offer support to our colleagues in their struggle to save the NHS from destruction by the Tory led Government. The NHS has become a beacon for all who believe in universal access to high quality health care. We wish you well in your day of action and you can count on our continued support.

Public Services International

On behalf of 20 million members of Public Services International in 152 countries, I send you my best wishes of solidarity in UNISON's fight against the Health and Social Care Bill, and much success in the rally of 7 March.

The National Health Service is one of the best public health providers in the world and is a model for many PSI affiliates working in health services. The NHS can only continue to provide valuable quality public health services if it remains in public hands.

Public Services International stands by UNISON to defend the NHS. We stand with all the women and men in the UK whose wish is to continue, with their devotion and expertise, to provide quality health services for all, rather than watch the government break up and privatise the National Health Service.

PSI Southern Africa sub-regional advisory committee

As you rally to 'Save the NHS' in your Parliament on 7 March 2012, we are standing with you in your fight to keep a public health service, from across southern Africa.

We commend your campaign to keep your National Health Service by stopping the Health and Social Care Bill. We know that fragmenting and privatising the health service is not in the interests of patients or public service workers. A free market in healthcare cannot meet the needs of the people.

While we fight to create a public health service in many of our countries, it is a tragedy that the UK is tearing its own health care system apart!

The public services workers of southern Africa call on the UK government to listen to the voices of the UK health workers, public service trade unions and patients - and throw out the Health and Social Care Bill.

Federación Sindical de Profesionales de la Salud de la República Argentina

This is to express all our support and solidarity with the figtht you are leading against the UK government's Health and Social Care Bill which is threatening the very principles of your National Health System.

As a trade union of health workers in Argentina, brothers and sisters in the same struggle field, we know from our daily experience the meaning of losing public services of quality, affecting users and workers rights.

On March 7, throughout the distance, we shall be close to you under the banner that claims for the NHS to be saved, because your struggle is also ours.

Cuba - National Union of Health Workers

The world has been in profound crisis for more than three years now - crisis created by irresponsibility, greed and speculation by large financial conglomerates which were, nevertheless, rewarded and saved through massive injections of money.

It is sad to see how, while high rewards are being awarded to the executives of these institutions that caused the crisis, many governments have been inflexible in their plans to cut social spending, leading to rising unemployment, reduced pensions, increases in retirement age and serious damage to health systems and education, not to mention enormous resources spent on wars and military interventions.

Cuba, which is also suffering the impact of the international systemic crisis as well as the effects of recent major natural disasters, is going through a process of change to improve our system and the economy. However, it is doing it through a process of extensive consultations with the public and workers at every workplace in an effort to preserve and improve our health care system, universal free education for all Cubans as well as full access to culture, sport and other social rights.

Dear colleagues, we understand the fairness of your action in defence of the National Health Service and on this day we would like to send a message of solidarity and friendship and wish you every success in your just struggle.

Korean Government Employees Union

We support UNISON's fight to save NHS!!!

The Korean Government Employees' Union (KGEU, President Mr. Kim, Jungnam) extends our unequivocal support to UNISON and colleagues in UK against a bill that endangers the UK National Health Servece (NHS).

Since 2008 Global crisis, many of governments have been trying to cut public spending and social services in the name of fiscal austerity to overcome financial crisis. We think that this retrogressive revision of the NHS bill is part of such plans.

Many governments have been telling you that public sector should be downsized and reform to escape from global crisis faster. Also they tell you that you will get better public services by making sacrifice.

We know that fiscal austerity is not a solution for financial crisis. General public have been suffering from downward real wages and public spending cuts.

We also know very well that once privatization and reduction of public services such as water and health care services have started, there would be no return back as public services as they used to be.

Korean government once tried to reform National Health Service, and government faced massive struggle against privatization of National Health Service. However, the government still revised relevant laws to allow for-profit hospitals.

Health care service is not for profit, but it must be public service for all.

We are well aware of failure of austerity measures approach by the IMF and the World Bank as a solution to come over global crisis. Governments in many countries must recognise that quality of lives of workers and people have been falling into by attacking on essential public services public spending cuts.

The UK government must listen what people are shouting and must stop change for worse right away.

The Korean Government Employees' Union stands in solidarity with UNISON, other UK trade unions and civil society taking part in massive rally on March 7th. KGEU will strongly fight against privatization and threaten of National Health Service global to ensure decent lives and human rights of all.

Portugal - Lisbon Council Workers Union

On behalf of the Lisbon Council Workers Union, I want to send greetings for your campaign in defence of the British National Health Service.

The bill to privatise and destroy your prestigious National Health Service goes hand in hand with the policies of our own government to privatize and destroy our National Health Service.

We also, in Portugal are facing the same kind of attacks - our own Portuguese Health Minister comes to Office from one major Private Health Company to do this job.

So your struggle is our own struggle.

Sweden - Vision

On behalf of Vision we would like to express our solidarity with Unison and send you a message of support for the demonstration Save our NHS you are holding on March the 7th. Everyone has right to a healthy life and health services of high quality are essential if it shall give any meaning to talk about this right. We support your fight for free, local and accessible and public financed health services.