THOUSANDS of NHS workers, including nurses, midwives and ambulance staff walked out for four hours this morning in a dispute over pay.

Mass demonstrations took place outside Arrowe Park Hospital and Clatterbridge Hospital on Monday morning as health workers demanded better conditions from the Government.

Passing motorists beeped their horns in support as they were stopped by workers as they handed out leaflets.

Anne McAleer, welfare worker for Unison, was just one of those striking outside Clatterbridge.

She told the Globe staff have not had a pay rise for four years.

"Everybody is in dire straits with bills and mortgages. We want a fair pay for a fair day's work which we haven't got at the moment.

"If somebody is ill you don't get a break or your lunch - it's all part of the job and we don't have any help from the Government."

Wirral Globe:
NHS staff hand out leaflets to passing motorists at Clatterbridge Hospital.

Another member of staff, who did not wish to be named, said workers do not want to strike but feel they have no choice.

She said: "We are saving lives and we just feel as though we are getting trodden on all the time."

At Arrowe Park Hospital, Unison branch secretary and midwife Carol Skillem said: "For midwives to feel as strongly as we do to come out and strike says a lot - we are making sure the service here is safe and secure for patients."

Wirral Globe:
Strikes outside Arrowe Park Hospital.

Trade unions want a 1% pay rise for all NHS staff, but the government has said the proposal would cost too much.

Carol added: "The Government have ignored the recommendations of the Pay Review Board for a 1% pay rise but they said they had to take the recommendations when it was them.

"All of the staff in the health service deserve proper recognition for the work that they do.

"They are underpaid, undervalued, they work long hours, they don't take their lunches and they stay after their time and that's not recognised and it should be."