The hashtag #NursesStrike is so powerful it will literally move you to tears

#NursesStrike is trending on Twitter.

Today, 35,000 nurses across the country will strike in the hopes of achieving better working conditions. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Association voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action last month. They are striking between 8am today and 8am Friday for better pay and to tackle issues of recruitment and retention in their sector. This is the union's first official national strike in two decades. The INMO's 37,000 members took to the picket line this morning outside hospitals and health care facilities across Dublin, Galway, Cork, Kerry, and elsewhere. And the response has been incredible, with the hashtag #NursesStrike currently trending on social media. The tweets have been incredible, proving just how many people are standing behind the nurses and midwives of Ireland. Here's just a snippet of the moving and empowering tweets that have been circulating online:

Once a nurse always a nurse. Here's me and my nursing group in UK 1985-1988. ... nurses essential to healthcare, Value our nurses, time to pay#StandWithNursesAndMidwives#nursesstrike pic.twitter.com/87Acw1XoO3

— Dr Eddie Murphy (@dreddiemurphy) January 30, 2019

About to make the journey to #Letterkenny to #StandWithNursesAndMidwives Nurses drive in this sort of weather all the time to care for patients. Only fitting we should do the same. #NursesStrike #Snow #Sneachta #Donegal #Inishowen pic.twitter.com/JlV1LcosjS

— Sinéad Stewart (@sineadinishowen) January 30, 2019

G'wan, the Nurses. Sure we would be lost without them #nursesstrike pic.twitter.com/zeZivcWaRc

— Conor (@HansVanBurgers) January 30, 2019

H’on the Nurses. We’ll ALL need them at some stage in our lives but today they need us! This morning I was proud to #StandwithNursesAndMidwives on the #NursesStrike and say a few words to rally spirits on the picket line at St. James Hosp pic.twitter.com/B23A3F8cLc

— Anne-Marie McNally (@amomcnally) January 30, 2019

No-one goes on strike for fun. No-one deliberately volunteers to lose wages, stand on a picket line in the cold or face media opposition. Nurses have university degrees & work all the hours we don't. Nurses save lives & they warm hearts. #StandWithNursesAndMidwives #nursesstrike

— Fiona Kenny (@FionaKenny1) January 30, 2019

Delighted to have the support of my daughter ❤ my first tweet ?#nursesstrike pic.twitter.com/RuznjIZ9di

— Carol Kamtoh (@CKamtoh) January 30, 2019