The first day of industrial action by unions on Monday was the start of what may become a defining moment for public and private-sector pay.

On the one hand, the government clearly does not care about or value the people it employs to deliver Britain’s world-leading health service, whereas patients and the public have shown unprecedented support.

The public’s response to the government’s attitude was typified by the comment made to a journalist doing interviews in the street: “How mean can they be?”

People recognise that this isn’t a case of “those bolshie lefties” causing trouble when they see workers such as midwives taking action for the first time ever.

The industrial action involves a widespread coalition of NHS workers from porters to consultants, as well as radiographers, sonographers, mammographers and others working in diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy represented by my own union. 

It is unusual to find such a range of workers, covering broad expertise, taking action over pay.

Our calculations show that radiographers have 15 per cent less purchasing power than they did five years ago. In that time, members have suffered four pay freezes and one solitary increase of just 1 per cent. 

It is no wonder they are angry, but it is a tribute to their professionalism and sense of commitment to the community that they have put up with things for so long. 

In fact, if the government had honoured the recommendation of the Independent Pay Review Body (IPRB) and granted the 1 per cent increase they recommended this year, then we probably wouldn’t be entering into a dispute now and members’ patience would have endured for another year … just!

But the government crossed a line by ignoring that recommendation and then informing the IPRB that it was not seeking a recommendation from them for next year, thus condemning NHS workers to yet another pay freeze.

What makes this dispute so important, however, is that this decision was not a tactical error on 

the part of a government that had miscalculated the feeling among our members and those of other unions. 

Instead the decision is deeply ideological and shows exactly what it is this government now wants to achieve on behalf of the people it represents.

Throughout Britain’s post-war history there has been a consensus around the idea that working people have a share in economic growth. 

There may be deep differences over how much of a share, but no-one has argued that the general population should not see improved standards of living as society creates wealth.

When union negotiators over the years have achieved increases in pay that exceed the increase in prices they have been ensuring that generally working people can see their standard of living improve. 

And, as a result, throughout the post-war period average earnings have increased more quickly than the Retail Prices Index.

This came to an abrupt halt with the banking crisis and the subsequent austerity measures. By continuing to hold back NHS pay for at least the next two years, it is clear that this government wants to break this link for good even as the economy improves.

They are using the NHS — the biggest employer in Britain — to send a message to all employers in both the public and private sectors to end the consensus that working people should share in the wealth created. 

Instead, they are creating an environment where the owners of capital see a further disproportionate increase in their wealth, created at the expense of working people.

So this is a dispute that we have to win. Not just for our members, but for trade unionists across the country in all sectors, public and private. 

We have to triumph for everyone who believes unequal distribution of wealth is not only unfair but also bad economics. 

The governor of the Bank of England seems to recognise that running an economy purely for the benefit of some and not for all is inefficient. For our members and those on the left generally, it is deeply unfair and potentially harmful.

It is essential that all in the labour movement recognise what is at stake.

Another key factor is the reaction of Labour Party politicians. They need to clearly demonstrate support for NHS workers.

When they are elected, the party also need to show leadership on behalf of all working people by encouraging wages across the whole economy to grow faster than prices. This will return us to a consensus that even Margaret Thatcher couldn’t pull apart.

Paul Moloney is trade union and industrial relations manager at the Society of Radiographers.