The Royal College of NursingRCN, or RCN, decided to strike after more than 300,000 union members voted last week to demand higher salaries, and demands related to the conditions in which they must treat patients. RCN expects nurses, most of whom are from the state’s National Health Service, as well as from many of the country’s largest hospitals, will participate in the strikes, which are likely to begin before the end of the year.
Today we released the results of the strike vote, making it clear that we have a mandate to strike in the majority of NHS employers.
Members will be contacted via email to inform the employer of the full results.
Read more. https://t.co/iuJzgto7P7#FairPayForNursing
– The RCN (theRCN) November 9, 2022
Today we have published the results of our largest strike vote ever, showing that we have a mandate to strike in most NHS facilities.
While the UK suffers from 10% inflation, with a huge increase in the cost of living, as well as a surge in energy, this RCN vote is fueling fears about a wave of strikes in the public sector, as well as public transport, that could unfold this winter.
RCN has also raised the issue of dwindling healthcare staff, particularly due to declining retention of nursing staff across the UK. They argue that this shortage is caused by low salaries, if we compare the salary level ten years ago, the income of nurses decreased by 20% according to London Economics.
Nursing workers campaign for a fair wageWhich calls for a 5% wage increase above inflation, meaning nine billion pounds, or roughly $10 billion, a demand the government says it cannot meet.
After the successful and largest poll ever, # magazines Find out why you should support outstanding nursing staff.#FairPayForNursinghttps://t.co/SsVSStocst
– The RCN (theRCN) November 14, 2022
After the success and biggest strike vote ever, find out why you must support the striking nurses.
The nurses’ strike is expected to disrupt a health system that has been strained by the Covid-19 pandemic, with severe staff shortages and a lack of significant government investment. The system currently has seven million patients on waiting lists for hospital treatment.
Oliver Dowden, a minister in the Cabinet Office and spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, told reporters last Wednesday that the government “will strike a balance between the central role of nurses and the financial challenges facing the country”.
However, workers in various sectors across the UK are leading major strikes, and telecommunications workers, postal workers, university teachers, port workers and railway workers, who continue to express the alarm of a region in deep political crisis.
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