Dec 10 (Reuters) –
British health unions have offered to suspend a wave of
planned strikes in health services over Christmas and the New
Year if the government agrees to open serious discussions over
pay.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Unison said they
would consider calling off the strikes if Britain’s health and
social care minister Steve Barclay agrees to host serious
negotiations.
“I will press pause on it when the health secretary says
he will negotiate seriously on our dispute this year,” RCN
General Secretary Pat Cullen said in a statement. “A swift
change of tactics will pay off for all concerned.”
Britain’s state-run National Health Service (NHS)
had been bracing
for a wave of unprecedented industrial action this winter,
with up to 100,000 nurses due to take strike action on Dec. 15
and 20. Last month over 10,000 ambulance workers across England
and Wales had also voted in favour of industrial action.
Inflation has soared in Britain this year, causing a
cost of living crisis, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine.
“Rather than scare the public about the consequences of
strikes, the health secretary should table genuine plans for
improving wages,” said Unison general secretary Christina McAnea
in a statement.
The NHS, which has provided healthcare free at the point
of use since 1948, is dealing with record levels of patients on
waiting lists for hospital treatment due to the COVID-19
pandemic and a staffing crisis which has left thousands of
vacancies.
When asked for comment the government pointed to a pay
award announced earlier this year, which was recommended by an
independent review.
“Ministers have had constructive talks with unions,
including the RCN and Unison,” a Department of Health and Social
Care spokesperson said in a statement. “We have been clear the
door remains open for further talks.”
(Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh and Gokul Pisharody in Bengaluru;
Editing by Peter Graff and David Gregorio)
