# British nurses to stage first strikes on Dec. 15, 20
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-11-25
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Thousands of British Nurses to Strike for More Pay on Dec.
Meta Description: Thousands of UK nurses set to strike in December for higher pay, as government refuses to meet demands. Winter of industrial action looms for NHS.
URL: https://financedigest.com/british-nurses-to-stage-first-strikes-on-dec-15-20html

![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-11-25t022327z2lynxmpeiao00frtroptp4britain-strikes-nurses-1736814816428-compressed.jpg)

LONDON (Reuters) – Thousands of British nurses will go on strike on Dec. 15 and 20 for more pay, their union said on Friday, adding to a winter of industrial action and putting further pressure on the state-run health system.

The strikes are the first of possibly several walkouts by National Health Service (NHS) nurses, which come after the government refused to meet demands for pay rises of 5% above inflation.

Nursing staff have had enough of being taken for granted, enough of low [pay and unsafe staffing](https://www.financedigest.com/unicredit-to-pay-bonus-replace-850-older-branch-staff-in-italy.html "UniCredit to pay bonus, replace 850 older branch staff in Italy") levels, enough of not being able to give our patients the care they deserve,” Royal College of Nursing (RCN) General Secretary Pat Cullen said.

Cullen said the government had declined formal negotiations in the two weeks since the RCN announced nurses would go on [strike for the first time in the union’s](https://www.financedigest.com/ita-airways-averts-strike-after-wage-increase-accord-with-unions.html "ITA Airways averts strike after wage increase accord with unions") 106-year history.

British Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the nurses’ demands would amount to a 19.2% [pay rise](https://www.financedigest.com/unicredit-shareholders-urged-to-reject-ceo-orcels-pay-rise.html "UniCredit shareholders urged to reject CEO Orcel’s pay rise") costing 10 billion pounds ($12.13 billion) a year, and that the government would give them rises of at least 1,400 pounds each this year.

These are challenging times for everyone and the [economic circumstances mean the RCN’s demands](https://www.financedigest.com/the-demand-for-agile-banking-during-the-global-economic-slowdown.html "The demand for ‘Agile Banking’ during the global economic slowdown") … are not affordable,” Barclay said.

He said the NHS had plans in place to minimise any [disruption from the strikes](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-airports-face-christmas-disruption-as-border-staff-to-strike.html "UK airports face Christmas disruption as border staff to strike") and ensure continuity for emergency services.

The [strikes will add to pressure on Prime Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/british-doctors-strikes-risk-patient-safety-minister-says.html "British doctors’ strikes risk patient safety, minister says") Rishi Sunak as Britain faces a looming economic recession and a cost-of-living crisis with inflation reaching a 41-year-high of 11.1% in October.

The NHS, which has provided healthcare free at the point of use since 1948, is now dealing with a [record 7 million](https://www.financedigest.com/ireland-fines-instagram-a-record-400-million-over-childrens-data.html "Ireland fines Instagram a record 0 million over children’s data") patients on waiting lists for hospital treatment. Accident and emergency departments are also under strain.

“Why on Earth is the Health Secretary refusing to negotiate with nurses?” the opposition Labour Party’s health spokesperson Wes Streeting said.

Patients already can’t get treated on time, [strike action is the last thing they need](https://www.financedigest.com/regulators-need-to-strike-the-balance-between-protection-and-strangulation.html "REGULATORS NEED TO STRIKE THE BALANCE BETWEEN PROTECTION AND STRANGULATION"), yet the Government is letting this happen.

($1 = 0.8246 pounds)

(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar, Editing by William Maclean)


---
This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more.
---