The effect of widespread strikes, in the NHS at least, could be very bad indeed. Hospital staff in particular are becoming nervous at the prospect of cancelled operations—and worse
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskShe has always worked more hours than she is paid, she says, and used to think little of it. But during the pandemic her department was closed and she was redeployed trying to keep covid-19 patients out of hospital. Long days meant she was absent from home when her children were off school. Several members of her team left. They have not yet been replaced—whether that is down to nursing shortages or money-saving, she isn’t sure.
Last month, for the first time in its history, the Royal College of Nursing began balloting its members on whether they wanted to take industrial action . Unison’s ballot of its 400,000 health-care-worker members closes on November 25th. The Royal College of Midwives will launch one on November 11th. TheTeachers, too, are considering industrial action. The main teachers’ unions have been followed for the first time in balloting their members by the National Association of Head Teachers.
Unions’ chief demand is a pay rise to reflect inflation, which matched a 40-year high of 10.1% in September. Network Rail has offered an 8% pay rise over two years, which thehas dismissed as a “paltry sum”. The government has offered a rise averaging 4.8% to nurses, which the Royal College of Nursing calls a “disgrace”, and around 5% to teachers.
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