The Royal Institute of Nursing, the country’s largest union of nurses, said it was forced into the measure after declining real wages prevented individuals from joining the state-funded National Health Service, leaving huge staffing gaps in all branches and specialties.
The nurses’ union’s general secretary and chief executive, Pat Cullen, said the institute was suffering from understaffing, lack of appreciation and poor wages, noting that the nursing profession had been pushed “to the brink for years, and now the price is being paid at the expense of patient safety.”
The union said it was calling for a 5 percent increase in wages above inflation to counteract the depreciation of wages, as its members struggle to cope with the rising cost of living in Britain.
The union chief said an increase below inflation meant workers could not stay in or join the profession, adding that “patient care” tasks were at risk due to the thousands of nurse vacancies across the UK.
A spokesman for the state’s Department of Health and Social Care said the department hoped nurses would carefully consider the consequences of any strike on patients.
The spokesman added that the administration appreciates the hard work of nurses in the National Health Service and is working hard to support them, and referred to the previous wage increases received by the sector.
The NHS is still recovering from the damage done to services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and faces its worst-ever staff crisis amid a backlog of cases awaiting care.
The authority has been providing free health care when and where needed since 1948, and has witnessed a record increase in the number of people waiting for the start of routine treatment in hospitals and an increase in waiting times in accident and emergency departments.
#demands #raise #wages #Britain #witnessing #strike