Midwives march in Day of Action

While the RCM did not take industrial action, or ballot members, many who were not at work joined the Day of Action demonstrations.

RCM staff, workplace reps and members took part in rallies and marches in London, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Brighton, Belfast and Cardiff, among others.

Sue Macdonald, RCM education and research manager, said: ‘The day was described as a “damp squib”, but as a midwife who was on the London march with many midwife and health service colleagues, I think that description was inaccurate in the extreme.

‘There were tens of thousands of people, demonstrating and peacefully but strongly expressing their view.

‘Obviously, midwives were not on strike and, therefore, care to women, their babies and families was not affected in any way – which is always important to midwives. 

‘However, all over the UK, the RCM and midwife members demonstrated anger about how the NHS pensions issue is being managed – i.e. paying more, to get less, later.’

Helen Rogers, director of the RCM UK Board for Wales, said: ‘We had a very good day in Cardiff and there were over 4000 on the march.

‘The march was peaceful and we did not witness anything but good will from all.

‘We got a lot of public support and there was plenty of horn tooting and whistle blowing.’

While Gillian Smith, director of the RCM UK Board for Scotland, was on the march in Edinburgh and said there was a ‘huge turnout’.

She added: ‘There were far more people than anticipated and the sun shone until the end of the march.’

David Cameron - who previously told MPs the day would be a ‘damp squib’ – has since conceded that it was ‘obviously a big strike’.

But the prime minister still claims the mass walkout – which is believed to be the biggest in a generation - was futile.

He said he understood why strikers ‘felt strongly’ but added that the government will push ahead with the pension reforms, which he believes are fair to both public sector workers and taxpayers.