MIDWIVES at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) began their four-hour strike action this morning (Thursday) stating that they want a one per cent pay rise in line with that already afforded to their UK colleagues.

It’s the first time in its 134-year history that members of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Northern Ireland have voted to strike.

Josephine McCaughey, the local RCM steward based at SWAH was one of seven midwives to take up her position at the picket line this morning.

More colleagues were expected to join the strike outside the hospital later in the morning.

“We have been receiving a lot of support already this morning,” she told impartialreporter.com, “It's the principle of it all -- we just want to be paid the same as our colleagues in the UK.” She spoke to the Impartial Reporter before today to explain why she and her colleagues had decided “enough is enough”.

“Our role, I would say, has extended quite a lot. We are now doing a lot of things that doctors would have been doing about five to 10 years ago.

“We are not the most militant people in the whole wide world -- we have been accepting of many changes in the past.

“We have had a five year pay freeze and last year only the most senior midwives got a one off uplift of one per cent with no agreement for the forth coming year.

“Twenty-three per cent of midwives in Northern Ireland are eligible to retire now and if they become disillusioned we could lose a lot of experienced staff in a short period of time.

“Data from the industrial action in England shows that we work an average of two to three hours extra unpaid per week and it is not unusual in the SWAH to be called in on a day off when the maternity unit is busy.

“We have accepted all of this, but there comes a point when you have to stand up.

“I kind of feel that government and the Health Service don’t seem to appreciate us.

“We are nothing and we can be done without. I feel quite insulted by them.

“We are only looking for parity with our colleagues in the UK.” The RCM strike action across Northern Ireland will last until 12 noon today.