Big day for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the main union of British nurses. More than 300,000 of its members took part in the vote, the largest in the union’s 106-year history, in favor of a national mobilization for wages. “Our strike action will be as much for the patients as for the nurses, they support our initiative,” said Pat Cullen, union secretary.
The count is still ongoing but RCN officials believe that a sufficient number of members have voted for a mobilization this winter, according to the British press agency PA. This should take place in the coming weeks, perhaps before Christmas. The union is asking for a wage increase of 5% above inflation.
A record number of resignations
The exact nature of the strike has not yet been determined, but it is likely that patients, already facing record waiting lists, will face disruptions to operations and appointments. “The majority of services will be cut and pickets will be set up across the country,” a union source told the newspaper. Observer.
A record number of nursing jobs are vacant and 25,000 UK nurses have left the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (the body that counts them) in the last twelve months. A recent analysis showed that the salary of an experienced nurse has fallen by 20% in real terms since 2010.
Source: 20minutes
I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.
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