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Nurses’ pay: we’re ready to meet government half way, says RCN

RCN general secretary prepares to go head to head with ministers – but government insists this year’s NHS pay deal will be off the agenda
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen in front of picketing nurses

RCN general secretary prepares to go head to head with ministers – but government insists this year’s NHS pay deal will be off the agenda

RCN general secretary Pat Cullen in front of picketing nurses
Picture: John Houlihan

The RCN will sit down with ministers on Monday in a bid to avert further strikes – but have ruled out calling off industrial action unless pay talks begin.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak said public sector unions had been invited to have a ‘grown up conversation’ next week. But the government said only next year’s pay is up for discussion, despite planned strikes by nursing staff at 55 NHS trusts in England later this month over the pay offer for 2022/23.

Ready to compromise

RCN general secretary Pat Cullen indicated the college is willing to ‘meet halfway’ on pay discussions, but added: ‘Pay negotiations for the current year, not next year, are what we need to call off this month’s strike action.’

Alongside the meetings, ministers will introduce legislation to parliament in the coming weeks to set minimum staff levels during strikes in health, fire, border control, transport and education services.

PM wants ‘what’s repsonsible for the country’

Mr Sunak declined to rule out the prospect of a ban on strikes in critical public services, saying: ‘We want to have an honest, grown-up conversation about what’s affordable, what’s responsible for the country.’

Ms Cullen said the RCN had long campaigned for safe and effective staffing levels in the NHS and social care, but only talks on this year's pay award could halt strikes. Ms Cullen said: ‘Safe staffing levels that are set in law are what we want to see year-round, not just in these extreme circumstances.’

Appearing on a Times Radio’s Past Imperfect podcast she said calls for a 19% pay rise were a starting point and urged England’s health and social care secretary Steve Barclay to ‘get into a room, meet me halfway and do the decent thing for nurses’.


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