Mirror readers are being encouraged to design and send in posters to support a proper pay rise for the NHS.
A campaign launched by 14 trade unions is calling on households to put up bright posters on April 1 - when NHS staff were scheduled to receive a pay rise.
The Tories have proposed 1% pay rise which is forecast to below inflation by the time it comes in to force.
The best hand drawn or painted poster will be published in Wednesday’s Daily Mirror newspaper to be cut out by readers and placed in their windows.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Mirror readers of all ages can get behind this important campaign.
“No one is too young or old to get creative for the NHS.
“Brighten up the UK’s streets, estates and boroughs with bold displays of support.
“Let’s show every health worker we’re on their side and shame the government into giving them all the decent pay rise they deserve.”
NHS Long Term Plan documents show Government had planned on the basis of a 2.1% pay rise for staff from April.
Ministers refused to enact a prompt pay rise and instead delivered a 1% pay suggestion for England to the NHS Pay Review Body.
The body is now taking evidence from other organisations before delivering its recommendation in June. The Government will then have the final decision.
Any rise is now not likely to come in until August at the earliest.
By contrast the devolved government in Scotland has agreed rises from 4% to 5.4%, backdated to December.
Dame Donna Kinnair, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “We welcome this new backing and would urge readers to put up those posters again to send a message to ministers that this is no way to reward those who have given so much in the last year.
“The government cannot ignore the growing support of the public shining out from windows.
“Nursing staff are disgusted with the government’s 1% pay proposal. The public is with us. The Government needs to listen.”
The cost of raising the wages of the majority of the English NHS workforce by 1% this year would be £750 million, ministers have said.
The pay group under discussion doesn’t include doctors, dentists or senior managers.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson claims only a 1% pay rise is “affordable”, despite splashing £37 billion on a failing Test and Trace system, run in part by private outsourcing firms.
He has suggested the money would be better spent trying to recruit more nurses.
How to enter the competition
To enter the poster competition take a close up photo of your creation on a mobile phone or digital camera. Email the image to mirrornews@mirror.co.uk with the subject ‘NHS POSTER’ by midnight on Monday and the Mirror will pick a winner.
