It’s hard to talk about love and politics in the same breath, mostly because the divisiveness of debate accentuates a lack of lovely language. And I’ll admit, I am finding it tough to do so here today. But I think writing about the intersection of love, politics and positivity is not
wholeheartedly a fools errand. In the cost of living crisis, the UK has the opportunity to reach out with compassion and love to our most beloved institution, and if the government wont back us we can still ensure love will prevail.
Over the pandemic, NHS staff were pushed to extremes to keep us safe. And while grinning politicians cynically clapped, it was the ambulance workers, nurses and doctors that were the backbone of the country through that crisis. Still, those workers have not received a meaningful pay-rise. Now we are in another crisis, necessities like food, energy
and housing are becoming untenable on stagnant salaries. Food-bank use is rising, and that includes use by NHS staff. At the time of writing, unions representing healthcare workers are planning another round of strikes. Ambulance workers will walk out over a pay-rate that is heartbreakingly meagre.
Union representatives have reported that the concerns of the Health Secretary in initial talks have focused on productivity. “Productivity, when our members are working 18-hour shifts. Quite how you become more productive with that, I do not know,” said Unite the Union Official, Onay Kasab. You cannot claim to be loved by those that ignore your needs and don’t treat you as equals. The empty gestures of ‘support’ given to the NHS by a legion of successive prime ministers is a watered-down love. True love and support on this scale requires compassionate political action.
I’ve written about the fundamental right to strike before, and that’s because I find it such an empowering and positive right. Politicians love to explain that “everything comes with a price,” but so should labour. So when healthcare workers say that they deserve more for their exhausting, exasperating and essential labour, the least we can do is back them. Love has to be reciprocal: Those working in public sector healthcare have sacrificed, loved and cared for us through the pandemic and so one small act of reciprocal love would be to
support their struggle.
Choose love. Support the strikes.
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