Thousands of nurses are on strike in England

Thousands of nurses are on strike in England

The fronts are hardened: the union demands an increase well above the inflation of more than 10% recently. The Conservative government, on the other hand, does not want to increase its offer, which corresponds to about 4.5% more salaries. In Britain, health is a national matter.

Pat Cullen of the Royal College of Nursing defended the workers: “People are not dying because nurses are on strike. Nurses are on strike because people are dying. the fight for your future leads.”

British Health Secretary Steve Barclay, on the other hand, wrote in an opinion piece for the Independent with a view to patient well-being: “If we agree to unaffordable pay rises for healthcare workers, we are taking billions of pounds out of where we need it most.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants to limit the right to strike with a controversial legislative initiative to guarantee basic services in critical areas such as health. The NHS is chronically underfunded and understaffed. NHS Confederation head Matthew Taylor has warned of a “long war of attrition between the government and the unions” if no deal is reached. The NHS Confederation brings together health services organisations.