RESIDENTS who clapped for the NHS and believe nurses deserve a pay rise are encouraged to join a socially-distanced protest in Dorchester tomorrow.

Protests are taking place nationally to get the message across, and people are encouraged to lay flowers in Dorchester in memory of NHS staff who died.

“Most ordinary people feel NHS workers are worth this - anyone who clapped for the NHS should join us,” said Lynne Hubbard on behalf of Weymouth & Portland Action on Wages (WeyPAW).

The event will take place at 12.30pm at Dorchester Town Pump, Cornhill, South Street, followed by a socially-distanced walk in single file to the town’s war memorial to lay flowers.

Nurses, hospital workers and other NHS staff were not included in the recent public sector pay increase because health workers are already signed up to a three year pay deal.

Unions want the Government to show its appreciation for NHS staff by giving them a pay rise this year.

“After clapping NHS staff for their immense work during the Covid crisis, the Government has refused to include them in pay increases offered to other public sector workers,” Ms Hubbard said.

“The three year deal was a terrible pay deal as it scrapped annual increments - in real terms, NHS pay has fallen by eight per cent since 2010, and we now have a nurse shortage of 40,000 in the UK.

“The level of anger is immense - this is an insult. The NHS saved Boris’ life - he comes on TV and thanks the NHS yet doesn’t even include them in the pay rise given to the rest of the public sector. We are now demanding a 15 per cent rise for NHS workers.”

Hundreds of health workers died during the coronavirus outbreak - 60 per cent of whom are reported to be from minority ethnicities - while many have since been diagnosed with post traumatic stress.

“A lot of NHS workers also isolated from their families for months due to fears they would pass on the virus to loved ones - the level of sacrifice is quite phenomenal,” added Lynne.

“Nurses in France went on strike and were successful in getting a pay rise - we hope that won’t have to happen here.”

A protest is also happening in Bournemouth at 11.00am this Saturday, in Bournemouth Square.