London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Nursing strike suspended as union enters ‘intensive’ talks over pay

Nursing strike suspended as union enters ‘intensive’ talks over pay

Nurses in England pause next week’s 48-hour walkout with union ‘confident’ of agreeing pay deal
Plans for a 48-hour walkout by nurses next week have been paused as the Royal College of Nursing enters “intensive talks” on pay, terms and conditions and “productivity enhancing reforms” with the Government.

The move follows weeks of deadlock in negotiations, with the RCN’s General Secretary Pat Cullen on Friday saying she had not spoken with ministers in over a month.

The next industrial action pencilled in for nurses was on March 1 when they had planned to strike continuously for 48 hours. It would have included nursing staff from emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services that were previously exempted.

Ministers, officials and RCN leaders will meet on Wednesday.

The RCN originally asked for a pay rise of 5% above inflation, but has since said it would be willing to meet the government half-way.

Next week’s walkout, starting on Wednesday, was set to be the biggest strike of this winter’s pay dispute, with half of frontline services affected.

A joint statement from the Department of Health and Social Care and the RCN said: “The Government and Royal College of Nursing have agreed to enter a process of intensive talks.

“Both sides are committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement that recognises the vital role that nurses and nursing play in the National Health Service and the wider economic pressures facing the United Kingdom and the Prime Minister’s priority to halve inflation.

“The talks will focus on pay, terms and conditions, and productivity enhancing reforms.”

NHS leaders had previously expressed “deep concern” over the prospect of strikes taking place across the NHS simultaneously.

Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive at NHS Providers, said that NHS bosses would be “breathing a sigh of relief” that the Government and RCN were entering pay negotiations.

“The past weeks have seen a worrying escalation of industrial action, which has hit patients hard. Both sides being committed to finding a fair and reasonable settlement is the glimmer of hope we all needed.

“For these talks to end in a resolution, any agreed settlement will need to pass a vote by RCN members. Hopefully, it can pave the way for similar negotiations with other unions planning strikes.

“We eagerly await the outcome and hope that further disruption to services can be averted, allowing NHS staff to continue delivering high-quality care, bearing down on backlogs and meeting elective targets.”

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said the announcement of talks was a “very positive step forward after weeks of inaction”.

"There will of course be significant work for all the parties involved to do and NHS leaders, their teams and patients will hope that a way forward can be found which will bring an end to the unprecedented industrial action the NHS has faced in the last few months." RCN head Ms Cullen said she was “pleased” the government had agreed to talks and is “confident we will come out with a fair pay settlement for our nursing staff”.

“Every nurse in England can breathe a sigh of relief today, as can patients,” she added. “We will make sure no stone is left unturned.”

Ongoing industrial action by paramedics will continue, while junior doctor members of the British Medical Association (BMA) will walk out for 72 hours next month.

More than 140,000 appointments have already been postponed due to industrial action, according to NHS Providers.

New figures released on Tuesday showed the UK recorded a bigger than expected surplus of £5.4 billion last month. The figure was £5 billion larger than predicted by the fiscal watchdog the OBR.

Economists predicted the better economic news could give the Chancellor “some wiggle-room” in the Budget on March 15.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×