Tens of thousands of nurses in the UK will walk out for the first time in order to demand fairer pay as living costs climb. The majority of nurses working for government-run National Health Service (NHS) employers nationally have backed the action, according to a statement released on Wednesday by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
This action will be as much for patients as it is for nurse
The RCN, which has more than 300,000 members, said that strike action would begin before the end of the year following the first vote in its 106-year history to authorize strike action. “Anger has become action,” RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen said in a statement. “Our members are saying enough is enough.”
“This action will be as much for patients as it is for nurses. Standards are falling too low,” he added.
The RCN claims that over the past ten years, the real-term income for NHS nurses has declined by up to 20%, making it more challenging for members to maintain their families and pay their bills. The union is asking for a 5% salary rise above inflation. NHS executives said in September that nurses were skipping meals in order to feed and clothe their children and were having trouble making ends meet due to rising transportation costs.
UK has seen an increase in industrial unrest in a number of industries this year
One in four hospitals has started food banks to aid workers, according to NHS Providers, a body that represents hospital organizations in England. Since pay has not kept up with inflation, which is presently running at 10%, and rising energy prices, the UK has seen an increase in industrial unrest in a number of industries this year, including the law and railways.
The COVID-19 pandemic, persistent government underinvestment, and a significant personnel deficit are already putting strain on the health system, which is now seriously threatened by the strike action.