Nurses take to picket lines again
It's in a row over pay and conditions
Nurses in Northern Ireland, England, and Wales are taking to the picket lines for the second time in under a week in a row over pay and conditions.
The Royal College of Nursing's trying to secure a pay rise of 5% above inflation but the government says that's unaffordable.
RCN Director Pat Cullen said “It’s unfortunate. After today, if they don’t move forward, I fear there will be further industrial action. The people you see here today are not willing to give up. They haven’t given up on the health service. They haven’t given up on their patients, and they will continue to stand out hear until their voices are heard”.
On the picket line at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry this morning nurse and RCN board member Edna Grant told Downtown/ Cool FM, “If we can make nursing a viable option of employment then they will stay, but we don’t have that at the minute, so we are haemorrhaging staff at the minute. You cannot look after people without skilled, trained, experienced people. And we’re losing those on a daily basis”,
Yesterday (Mon) The Prime Minister said the Government had adopted a "fair and responsible approach to pay" and that the “door is always open to work through difficult challenges”.
Mr Sunak said, “I’m really disappointed to see that the unions are calling these strikes, particularly at Christmas, particularly when it has such an impact on people’s day-to-day lives with the disruption it causes and the impact on their health.”
“I would urge them to keep considering whether these strikes are really necessary and do everything they can to alleviate the impact it’s going to have on people.”