• On December 15 and 20, nurses are scheduled to go on strike across much of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• The Retail Price Index, which is currently measuring inflation at 14%, is what the RCN wants to boost by 5%..
• A representative stated: “We fully accepted the recommendations made by the impartial NHS Pay Review Body.

At a time when waiting lists are already at record levels, nurses are scheduled to go on strike in various areas of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland later this month. If the government agrees to hold sincere pay negotiations, the health unions have offered to postpone strikes later this month.

But late on Saturday, it seemed as though no one had taken the offer, as the health secretary launched an attack, claiming that the industrial action would put patients at “serious risk.” He stated in a column for The Sun On Sunday: “I am quite concerned about the hazards of strike action to patients during a winter when we are already concerned about COVID, the flu, and Strep A – on top of the COVID backlogs.

“To ensure that patients are inconvenienced as little as possible, we are working hard. However, the risks to patients will be high because the NHS is already under stress from the COVID outbreak and the impending winter.”

On December 15 and 20, nurses are scheduled to go on strike across much of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. They will argue that since 2010, they have received several awards that are below inflation, making them 20% worse off in actual terms.

However, the strike will result in significant inconvenience since thousands of surgeries are anticipated to be delayed at a time when waiting lists are already at all-time highs.

Pat Cullen, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), stated over the weekend that she would be willing to put a stop to the walkouts if Mr. Barclay agreed to discuss the nurses’ requests for salary.

Avoid this strike by negotiating with nurses, she advised.

“My request to negotiate has been declined five times.

“When the health secretary says he will truly negotiate with us this year, I will put a stop to it.

“That requires some acquiescence from each of us.

He has nothing to gain by disobeying the NHS workers’ representatives.

Because she was a woman representing a staff that was predominately made up of women, Ms. Cullen had earlier claimed that Mr. Barclay was acting like a “bullyboy” and refusing to negotiate fairly.

The Department of Health did not specify if money would now be on the table when it stated on Saturday night that the health secretary’s “door remains open for further negotiations.”

a representative stated: “We fully accepted the recommendations made by the impartial NHS Pay Review Body.

“This means that individuals with the lowest salaries, such porters and cleaners, have had pay increases of up to 9.3% while newly qualified nurses have seen a 5.5% boost in salary.”

The Retail Price Index, which is currently measuring inflation at 14%, is what the RCN wants to boost by 5%.

Unison, which represents paramedics, emergency care assistants, ambulance technicians, and other 999 crew members who are intending to strike on December 21st, made a similar offer to cease strikes.

Christina McAnea, general secretary of UNISON, said: “The health secretary should present sincere ideas for raising wages rather than scaring the populace about the negative effects of strikes.

“Strikes have been halted across Scotland as a result of negotiations with the health unions and an increase in the wages on offer.

“The possibility of pre-Christmas strikes might be eliminated if Steve Barclay adopted Holyrood’s strategy and made a commitment to raising salaries this year.

“But the administration is squarely in control of the situation. Ministers are aware of what needs to be done to avoid commotion later this month.”

Several employees are on strike this month, including nurses, ambulance workers, rail workers, postal workers, bus drivers, highway workers, Border Force, and baggage handlers at Heathrow.

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