LONDON, Feb 5 (Reuters) – Britain faces its largest ever strike by health workers on Monday as tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers walk out in an escalating pay dispute with the government, spelling further disruption for an already strained health system.
Nurses and ambulance workers have been striking separately on and off since late last year but Monday’s walkout involving both, largely in England, will represent the biggest in the 75-year history of the National Health Service (NHS).
England’s top doctor, Stephen Powis, said strike action this week, which will also see physiotherapists walk out on Thursday, would most probably be the most disruptive so far.
Health workers are demanding a pay rise that reflects the worst inflation in Britain in four decades, while the government says that would be unaffordable and cause more price rises, and in turn, make interest rates and mortgage payments go up further.
Around 500,000 workers, many from the public sector, have been staging strikes since last summer, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to resolve the disputes and limit the disruption to public services such as railways and schools. Asked by Sky News about whether the strikes endangered lives, Commerce Secretary Grant Shaps said that due to the lack of cooperation between ancillary services such as the military and strike workers, “that could be the case.” I am worried about something,” he said.
“The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has very responsibly told the NHS that they are going to go on strike here and that they will be able to cover the emergency. I’ve seen situations where people refuse to provide this information,” he said.
Paramedics refute Shaps’ claim. Unite union leader Sharon Graham told the BBC on Sunday that she wanted Sunak to come to the negotiating table and accused the government of lying about paramedics.
“This government is putting lives at risk,” she said.
The NHS, historically a source of pride for most Britons, has millions of patients on waiting lists for surgery and thousands more each month unable to get urgent care right away. , under extreme pressure.
A decade of low wages has forced tens of thousands of nurses to leave, with 25,000 of him leaving last year alone, according to RCN, and severe staff shortages are affecting patient care.
The RCN initially called for a 5.5% inflation hike and has since said it could meet with the government “on the way”, but despite weeks of talks, the two sides failed to reach a deal. could not reach. Meanwhile, thousands of ambulance workers, represented by trade unions GMB and Unite, also plan to go on strike Monday over their own wage disputes. Both unions announced several days of industrial action.
Not all rescue workers immediately go on strike, emergency calls are made.
In Wales, nurses and some paramedics called off a planned strike on Monday as they consider wage offers from the Welsh government.
In her TalkTV interview last week, Sunak said she “wants a significant pay rise for nurses,” but the government is facing tough choices and has been forced to expand in other areas, such as providing medical equipment and ambulances. Said it was funding her NHS.
