Nurses in UK vote to STRIKE, citing low pay and high inflation

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#UnitedKingdom, November 15, 2022 – Before the end of the year the UK will face a massive nursing strike as confirmation has come from the Royal College of Nursing that their largest bout of  industrial action ever will go forward.

It will affect the majority of National Health Service hospitals and clinics across the United Kingdom.  The announcement comes as Covid-19 cases are at a relative low and flu season begins in earnest.

The RCN revealed the results on Wednesday in a twitter post.

“Overall results show members at the majority of NHS employers across the UK have voted to take strike action in their fight for fair pay and safe staffing. Strikes will now take place at the NHS trusts or health boards that have met the relevant legal requirements.”

Pat Cullen, RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive said nurses could no longer tolerate the ‘financial knife’s edge’ they were on.

All qualifying public hospitals in Northern Ireland and Scotland will see some form of strike action thanks to overwhelming votes lodged to the health boards in those countries and the RCN say all but one of the health boards in Wales met the relevant legal thresholds.

Voter turnout was lowest in England but several of the largest hospitals will see strike action regardless.

Strikes may continue until mid-2023 as the nurses seek a pay raise that is 5 percent above inflation.

Cullen said “This is a defining moment in our history, and our fight will continue through strike action and beyond for as long as it takes to win justice for the nursing profession and our patients. Anger has become action – our members are saying enough is enough.”