NURSES could lock Britain in strike chaos all the way until Christmas, their union chief has warned.
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) General Secretary Pat Cullen said that her members will not stop striking until a pay settlement is reached with the Government.
RCN boss Pat Cullen (centre-right) said that strikes could continue until Christmas
Union members voted to strike again after rejecting their leadership’s advice to accept the Government’s latest pay offer
Ms Cullen told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “We have strike action for the end of this month and the beginning of May. Then we will move immediately to ballot our members.
“If that ballot is successful it will mean further strike action right up until Christmas.”
Nurses are set to stage another round of strikes after the RCN staged the first walk out in its history at the end of last year.
The dispute rages on after union members rejected their leadership’s advice to accept a government pay offer of a 5% rise this year with a one-off cash payment in addition to last year’s pay settlement.
Ms Cullen added: “Our members took historic action – the first time in 106 years. For them, this pay deal was not historic.
“In fact they have said very loud and clear the one-off bonus was probably a bribe in their eyes.
“It is not going to fix the problems in the NHS which is the fundamental issue nurses went on strike for.”
She also confirmed that she had received a letter from Health Secretary Steve Barclay this morning.
In public statements, Mr Barclay called the decision to reject the deal “deeply disappointing”.
It comes after junior doctors went on a four-day strike earlier this week over pay and working conditions, demanding a 35% “pay restoration” deal.
Unions maintained that this amounts to returning pay to pre-2008 levels to adjust for inflation and cutbacks rather than a real-terms rise.
The Government say that the demands are “unaffordable”.
Trending In The News on Sunday has been told the British Medical Association – which represents junior doctors – is in talks with the RCN to join their walkout.
If they do, it would be the worst strike in NHS history.
Writing exclusively for this newspaper, the Health Secretary warned that continued strike action and the prospect of a joint strike could harm patient safety.
He said: “Industrial action means the safety of patients is put at risk.
“Cancelled operations, missed appointments, and treatments postponed – none of this is good for the NHS or patients.
“The prospect of more upheaval and the impact this would have on key services, including emergency and cancer care, is deeply concerning – both for health leaders and patients.”
Tory MP Greg Smith added: “Coordinated action would certainly have the effect of bringing the NHS to its knees.
“This is a huge threat to patients, to lives.”
It comes after junior doctors walked out demanding a 35% ‘pay restoration’ deal
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