Nurses to Strike Over May Bank Holiday in Pay Standoff
Nurses represented by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have slammed the government’s pay offer and voted to strike over the first May Bank Holiday. The 48-hour walkout kicks off at 8pm on 30 April and runs until 8pm on 2 May, hitting NHS emergency departments, intensive care, cancer wards, and beyond.
Critical Care Nurses Join the Picket Lines for First Time
This strike marks a first: critical care services, including intensive care units, will be brought to a halt. It’s a major escalation in the ongoing dispute.
RCN Rejects 5% Pay Rise and £1,655 Lump Sum
The row centres on a 5% pay rise for 2023/24 plus a £1,655 one-off bonus offered by the government. The RCN calls it “nowhere near enough” to fix the crisis gripping NHS staffing and pay.
Meanwhile, the rival 1 union, which includes some nurses, ambulance crews, and porters, accepted the same deal. The RCN vote was split—54% against the offer, 46% for it—highlighting growing tensions within the nursing ranks.
Bank Holiday Battle Adds to NHS Chaos Amid Junior Doctors’ Strike
The nurses’ strike follows a four-day junior doctors’ walkout, which ends at 7am on Saturday. The timing threatens major disruption during a busy bank holiday weekend.
“The crisis in health and care services can’t be solved without urgent action on recruitment, retention, and pay,” said RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen. “Until we see a properly improved offer, nurses will be forced back to the picket line.”
