NHS staff at 131 organisations across England are preparing for strike action following an overwhelming vote by Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members. Similar strikes are also planned in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with industrial action expected to begin before the end of the year. Detailed plans for the strikes will be announced soon.
Several major NHS trusts in Sussex have secured mandates for strike action. These include East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, South East Coast Ambulance Service, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen issued a strong warning to the government, saying, “I want to thank every member who took part in, or supported, this ballot. You can be very proud. The results are strong and clear. This is a defining moment in our history. We will fight on with strike action and beyond to win justice for the nursing profession and our patients.”
She added, “Our members have had enough. They’re done with making financial sacrifices and getting a raw deal at work. Ministers must ask how much longer they’ll put nursing staff through this. The upcoming budget is the UK government’s last chance to invest seriously and stop this crisis.”
“This strike is as much for patients as it is for nurses. Standards are falling dangerously low, and the public supports our campaign. This winter, we ask the public to stand with nursing staff,” Cullen said.
The postal ballot for the strike ran from 6 October to 2 November and was triggered by NHS pay announcements earlier this year. Experienced nurses have revealed they are 20% worse off in real terms compared to ten years ago. The RCN states that this pay cut has pushed nurses to a breaking point.
Originally published by UKNIP.
