Posted 16 January 2023 - 18:00
Posted 16 January 2023 - 18:00
News
Nurses to strike again next month in ‘desperate bid’ to force talks
Nurses will stage further strikes on 6 and 7 February unless the government agrees to pay negotiations and progress is made, union says
Nurses will stage further strikes on 6 and 7 February unless the government agrees to pay negotiations and progress is made, union says
New strike dates have been announced for nursing staff in England and Wales unless the government begins negotiations on pay.
Members of the RCN in England and Wales will strike on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 of February across more than 75 NHS trusts, unless progress is made in pay negotiations with the union by the end of January.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen urged the government to ‘grab the olive branch’ and meet with her to discuss ways forward.
‘It is with a heavy heart that nursing staff are striking this week and again in three weeks. Rather than negotiate, (prime minster) Rishi Sunak has chosen strike action again,’ she said.
RCN's Cullen urges government to 'meet me halfway' and avert more strikes
‘We are doing this in a desperate bid to get him and ministers to rescue the NHS. The only credible solution is to address the tens of thousands of unfilled jobs – patient care is suffering like never before. My olive branch to government – asking them to meet me halfway and begin negotiations – is still there. They should grab it.’
NHS Providers chief executive Saffron Cordery called the announcement of new strike dates ‘very worrying’ and urged the government and unions to open negotiations to avoid further strikes.
‘We understand how frustrated nurses feel, and how they have got into this point: below-inflation pay awards, the cost-of-living crisis, severe staff shortages and increasing workloads have created near-impossible conditions,’ she said.
Walkouts due this week at 55 trusts in England that did not take part in first wave of strikes in December
The RCN said it will not take action in Northern Ireland this time. In Scotland, a decision on industrial action remains paused while negotiations continue.
On Wednesday and Thursday this week nurses will stage two 12-hour walkouts across 55 trusts in England that did not take part in the first wave of strikes in December.
Last week health unions including the RCN, Unison and Unite announced they would not submit evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body for next year’s pay offer while the current dispute on the 2022-23 offer remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, the government is pushing through an anti-strike law, the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which had its second reading in parliament today.
If passed it will enforce minimum levels of staff during industrial action for the health service, transport, border security and the fire brigade. It could mean nursing staff and other health workers facing the sack for taking part in strike action against directions from employers.
The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.
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