NHS in Chaos: Nurses Demand Pay Rise or Face Massive Strikes
RCN Boss Warns PM: Meet Pay Demands or Brace for Strikes
Pat Cullen, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, has fired off a blunt letter to the Prime Minister. She warned that a “meaningful” pay offer from the government could still stop the looming nurse strikes. Cullen hit out, comparing the quick sacking of Conservative chairman Nadhim Zahawi over tax issues to the government dragging its feet on nurse pay.
“As demonstrated by last weekend’s rapid changes in Cabinet, big decisions in the interests of good government can be made by you at any point in the week,” she wrote.
Thousands of Nurses Poised to Down Tools
Tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers in England will walk out on Monday. This strike action is set to be the biggest in NHS history, with nurses striking again on Tuesday and ambulance crews on Friday.
Calls for Government to Act Fast
Cullen urged the PM to use this moment to “reset your government in the eyes of the public” and prove that it supports “the hardworking, decent taxpayer.” She insisted, “There could be no easier way to demonstrate this commitment than to end the nurse strike as soon as possible.”
Wales and Scotland Take Different Paths
Meanwhile, the situation varies across the UK. In Wales, new government pay offers have stopped strikes in their tracks. Scotland is still in talks, hoping to avoid similar disruption.
