News that a historic nurses’ strike has begun. Last Minute EUROPE, CURRENT, UK, HEALTH, news headlines and events

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, tens of thousands of nurses have launched the first mass strike in 106 years.

Key nurses in the UK’s National Health System (NHS) have joined a wave of strikes that has seen many sectors across the country demanding reasonable wage increases in the face of rising costs of living and inflation.

In a strike vote for the RCN (Royal College of Nursing) union, which represents nurses, the strike began for the first time in its 106-year history after a majority of nurses voted to strike.

Thousands of appointments and surgeries have been canceled due to the strike, which is expected to involve about 100,000 nurses.

On the other hand, nurses working in hospitals, chemotherapy, emergency departments, dialysis, intensive care units, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units will continue to serve patients.

The RCN, which has more than 300,000 members nationwide, is demanding a 19 percent pay rise, while the government says the demand cannot be met.

The nurses will go on strike on December 20 if their demands are not met.

More than 10,000 ambulance and emergency workers will also strike on December 21 and 28 in England and Wales over wage increases and controversy over working conditions.

“Today is a tragic day for the UK’s national health system.”

Pat Cullen, general secretary and chief executive of RCN Union, said in a statement that the public certainly understands why nurses have gone on strike.

“This morning they are standing outside in the cold. They were thrown into the cold and the doors are closed by this government. Today is a tragic day for nurses, a tragic day for the NHS,” Cullen said. gave his assessment.

After saying that he had met with UK Health Secretary Steve Barclay last week, Cullen went on to say:

“After he called me for an interview, I went to his office with hope, and there was optimism. We entered this room, and it became clear that Steve Barclay wanted to talk about everything except wages, and I did for the most part not a penny was put on the nurses’ table.

Strike wave rises in England

Many unions, which argue that wages are falling amid rising costs of living and inflation in the country, and therefore do not accept the proposed increase in wages below the inflation rate of more than 10 percent per year, decide to strike. in sequence.

There are a wide range of professional groups, especially teachers, bus drivers, dock workers, journalists, civil servants, criminal defense lawyers, railroad, airport, university, aviation and postal workers who participated in the dismissal action.

In addition to strike decisions, thousands of people protesting the high cost of living and austerity policies often organize demonstrations and marches across the country, especially in the capital London.

The government, on the other hand, is looking for ways to deal with the rising tide of strikes. In this context, the British government has warned that it could “retaliate violently” against unions that insist on a strike and said they are working on new laws against the strike wave.