Angels of Hell (Hellingly)

Angels of Hell

COHSE Hellingly Hospital, Sussex on nurses pay protest 1962

Nurses GLC Nurses Night 1986

London GLC Nurses

COHSE & NUPE

COHSE Fleet Street Nurses Chapel

COHSE Fleet Street Nurses Chapel in action 1970 

COHSE Fleet street nurses branch Irene Aitken (Left)

 Aileen Flood COHSE Fleet Street nurses branch

                        Norah Fitzgerald nursing sister at News of the World Newspaper

The famous COHSE Fleet Street Nurses branch was established in 1967. Most newspapers in Fleet Street had their own medical departments. the Daily Mirror's for example was at Holborn circus employing eleven industrial nurses all registered nurses and all COHSE members.

In common with their colleagues in carious printing unions they belonging to a "Chapel", This is the traditional name given by print unions to the unit within a given company which deals with on the spot trade union matters affecting members.

The COHSE Fleet street Nurses had their own Chapel, and this, like other Chapel's in the organisation was affiliated to the Federated House Chapel. The FHC protected the interests of all trade unions within the company which ever craft, trade or occupation they were employed in.

Irene Aitken was union officer for the nurses 

"We are 100 per cent COHSE Chapel, a strong chapel. we negotiate directly with the management on matters affecting our members. we can call on the Federated House Chapel for support if necessary. We are increasing our strength as nurses in COHSE by forming a Fleet street branch of COHSE"

The COHSE Fleet street nurses branch covered members at the Daily Mirror, News of the World and a number of other newspapers in Fleet street.

Industrial nursing was still a relatively new area of the nursing profession

Mrs Aitken said

"It will be the policy of our branch to bring home to the printing employers the necessity of recognising that ours is a profession (Industrial nursing), and that we are engaged in a vital occupation within the industry. This should be recognised by salaries and conditions which raise us to the status we deserve"

The Daily Mirror Medical Chapel successes and experience was the basis for the new COHSE Fleet Street nurses branch.

Miners Support NHS Workers 1982

COHSE nurses march with South Wales Miners in Cardiff 16th June 1982

33 South Wales went on strike in support of NHS workers 12% pay claim

On June 8th 50,000 on strike to support NHS workers in solidarity in Midlands and Yorkshire

Scottish miners strike in solidarity 23 June 1982



June NHS pay marches in Birmingham 3,000, 3,000 in Bristol, 700 i Leicester, 400 Wolverhampton, 500 Hackney, 500 Islington, Dundee, Paisley, Carlisle, Liverpool, West Yorkshire, Middlesborough, Nottingham, Aylesbury, Newry, Derry


Many miners went on strike again on the National TUC Day of Action for NHS Pay on 22 September 1982

Surrey Nurse - Guildford 1982

Surrey Nurse Jeanette Roe and COHSE Branch Secretary (later full time officer)

Nora Pearce - COHSE Kingston

Nora Pearce the now famous nurse and midwife from Kingston Hospital

COHSE AIDS Guidelines May 1985

COHSE led the way amongst British trade unions in trying to dispel myths and anti gay paranoia around HiV/Aids. 

COHSE guidelines were published in May 1985 when nurses with HiV were being sacked simply for having HiV and staff were refusing to deal with HiV patients.

COHSE Nether Edge (Sheffield) Branch Banner

COHSE Nether Edge Hospital (Sheffield) banner on Nottingham NHS Demo July 1987

Claybury Hospital COHSE Banner

Bangour Hospital Nurses on Strike April 1982

Jim Devine Branch Secretary at Banour Hospital, Scotland built up a formidable progressive COHSE branch at the Hospital, along with the Branch Chairman "Tam"

In 1980 the branch set up a well produced printed newsletter after purchasing a professional printing press "Bangour Free Press"

Jim later became a charismatic and energetic COHSE regional officer becoming the undisputed champion of NHS staff in Scotland and later still a Labour MP. 



Bangour Hospital Closed in 1989



COHSE Bangour Hospital banner 1980




COHSE Bangour branch banner at Cheltenham GCHQ Demo 1988

Maudsley Nurse on Strike 1988

Nurses Pay Campaign 1962 - Empty Purses Mean Less Nurses

COHSE Nurses 1962


Empty Purses Mean Less Nurses

2.5% Dodgy
49% Swinging

Nurses Clinical Grading Dispute 1988

NUPE and COHSE Nurses at North Manchester General Hospital burn job description forms in 1988

London Nurses campaign aginst cuts 1996

COHSE Nurses strike 1988 Maudsley Hospital

Tuesday 2nd February 1988

COHSE NHS Rally 1985 - St Albans

COHSE NHS Rally St Albans, Hertfordshire 8th January 1985 huge attendance from members at Hill End and Shenley as well as local General hospitals.

Also include a miners speaker

Huge attendance and excellent speeches, notably from Paul Noone President of the Consultants Association

1962 COHSE Nurses Pay Campaign

1982 NHS Pay Campaign - 22nd September Demonstration

COHSE Nurses Demo Kingston 1988

Kingston Hospital COHSE and Rcn nurses at the gates 1988 (COHSE nurses on strike - Rcn lunchtime protest) 1988 Campaign

COHSE Nurses and The Poll Tax