Nurses in England have today rejected the government’s pay deal and have announced a fresh round of strike action. The next strikes will take place over 48 hours from 8.p.m on 30 April to 8.p.m. on 2 May, with no emergency cover. The Royal College of Nursing ballot showed that 61 per cent of eligible voters turned out. The vote was close: 54 per cent voted to reject the government’s offer – of a pay rise between 4.5 and 5 per cent – while 46 per cent voted to accept the deal.
The staffing crisis only exacerbates the pressures felt by junior doctors. Many tell me how consultants and hospital managers alike have resorted to intimidation in attempts to force juniors to cover rota gaps.
The timing is a killer blow for the government: it was expected that if the nurses were to accept this pay offer, it would set the tone for successful negotiations with other striking sectors.
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