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06/08/2002
Hospital staff protest over death threats to workers
Staff at Belfast's three main hospitals have staged a one-hour protest at lunchtime today to demonstrate their disgust at death threats made against colleagues at the weekend.
Unison called on health staff in Northern Ireland to mobilise in protest over death threats issued by loyalist and republican paramilitaries. The action will involve a coordinated protest by staff at all three hospitals between 1 and 2pm today.
On Saturday, a group calling itself the Catholic Reaction Force said that six workers at the Royal Victoria and Mater hospitals would be targeted because of the two institutions' "affiliation" with the security forces.
These sinister threats were then matched on Sunday by the Red Hand Defenders – the loyalist paramilitary group responsible for the murder of postal worker Daniel McColgan in January and most recently of Catholic teenager Gerard Lawlor – who said that Catholic workers at the Mater and Ulster Hospital would be targeted.
Patricia McKeown, deputy Unison regional secretary, said the threats were unacceptable and amounted to ringing in bomb scares to the hospitals.
"People do have to stand up and be counted and face down those who would intimidate us. The lives of 13,000 health workers have been disrupted over the last 48 hours, they're not going to cease delivery good quality health care, but they do want to say something publicly," she added.
Ms McKeown then called for the threats to be withdrawn and for politicans to offer unequivocal condemnation and support for the action.
Calvin Spence, Deputy NI Secretary of the BMA, condemned these "despicable threats" and endorsed the move by health unions.
He said: "Doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and support staff in hospitals across the province work day and daily delivering medical and nursing care to all patients here, irrespective of their background, persuasions or affiliations. It is deplorable to think that in the course of providing this vital service they may become targets for murder.
"This situation is completely unacceptable and we would implore those involved in these threats to desist immediately and to make public a statement to this effect, in order that doctors and all other hospital staff can carry out their duties without fear for their lives."
Six thousand people work at the Royal and 2,000 at the Mater.
(GMcG)
Unison called on health staff in Northern Ireland to mobilise in protest over death threats issued by loyalist and republican paramilitaries. The action will involve a coordinated protest by staff at all three hospitals between 1 and 2pm today.
On Saturday, a group calling itself the Catholic Reaction Force said that six workers at the Royal Victoria and Mater hospitals would be targeted because of the two institutions' "affiliation" with the security forces.
These sinister threats were then matched on Sunday by the Red Hand Defenders – the loyalist paramilitary group responsible for the murder of postal worker Daniel McColgan in January and most recently of Catholic teenager Gerard Lawlor – who said that Catholic workers at the Mater and Ulster Hospital would be targeted.
Patricia McKeown, deputy Unison regional secretary, said the threats were unacceptable and amounted to ringing in bomb scares to the hospitals.
"People do have to stand up and be counted and face down those who would intimidate us. The lives of 13,000 health workers have been disrupted over the last 48 hours, they're not going to cease delivery good quality health care, but they do want to say something publicly," she added.
Ms McKeown then called for the threats to be withdrawn and for politicans to offer unequivocal condemnation and support for the action.
Calvin Spence, Deputy NI Secretary of the BMA, condemned these "despicable threats" and endorsed the move by health unions.
He said: "Doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and support staff in hospitals across the province work day and daily delivering medical and nursing care to all patients here, irrespective of their background, persuasions or affiliations. It is deplorable to think that in the course of providing this vital service they may become targets for murder.
"This situation is completely unacceptable and we would implore those involved in these threats to desist immediately and to make public a statement to this effect, in order that doctors and all other hospital staff can carry out their duties without fear for their lives."
Six thousand people work at the Royal and 2,000 at the Mater.
(GMcG)
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