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CARE UK strikers received fresh hope yesterday after Labour leader Ed Miliband agreed to meet them as their strike becomes the longest running action in the history of the NHS.
The strikers will be asking him to publicly back their long-running strike and to pledge an end to privatisation of the NHS if Labour takes power in May.
Three strikers will meet Mr Miliband in his Doncaster North constituency office on Monday.
The Care UK strikers are resisting wage cuts and attacks on working conditions that have been under threat since their NHS jobs were transferred to the private sector last year.
Unison shop steward and Care UK striker Roger Hutt said: “We have had confirmation that Ed Miliband has agreed to meet three strikers in his constituency office on October 17.
“We will be asking him to publicly back us.
“What we are also hoping to achieve is his promise that Labour’s philosophy, if they come to power, will be that they will stop the wholesale sell-off of the NHS, an end to privatisation.”
The workers provide support for people with learning difficulties, helping them stay independent.
Mr Hutt said: “We know first-hand what privatisation means. We are seeing the drop in standards that comes with privatisation, the loss of qualified and dedicated staff, people paid the minimum wage.
“This is what we will be putting to Ed Miliband. If he is talking about defending the NHS his first point of reference should be his own constituents — the Care UK strikers.
“If he does not publicly come out and back us there will not be one person on our picket line who will vote Labour next May. That is what we will be telling him next Friday (October 17).”
The strikers held a rally in Barnsley on Monday, another in Nottingham yesterday and are today touring London in an open-topped bus to promote the strike.
On Friday the strike action will make history as the longest-running strike in the NHS at 81 days.
A picket line party and rally will be held.
Keir Dawson, of Mr Miliband’s constituency office, did not wish to comment ahead of next week’s meeting but confirmed that the Labour leader has met with the Care UK strikers previously.
Strike fund donations can be sent to: Doncaster, District And Bassetlaw Health Branch 20511, Unison office, Jenkinson House, White Rose Way, Doncaster DN4 5GJ.
