London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Feb 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
Spain Endorses Initiative to Cut Working Week to 37.5 Hours
Australia Prohibits DeepSeek AI on Government Devices Due to Security Issues
Trump Warns of Tariffs on EU Products, Labels Bloc an 'Atrocity' in Trade Matters
Zelenskyy Proposes Nuclear Arsenal if NATO Membership Lingers.
Zelenskyy Urges for 'Robust Security Assurances' from Russia to Conclude the Conflict in Ukraine
European Union Proposes Reforms to 1951 Refugee Convention
China's humanoid robots poised to transform everyday living and spiritual functions.
Changes in US tariffs on Chinese products could affect consumers more significantly than they do China.
How Innovations in China's Humanoid Robots Ignite Fierce Competition with the US
Germany Experiences 34% Decrease in Asylum Applications During Migration Discussion
Experts Challenge Conviction of UK Nurse Lucy Letby for Baby Killings
AfD Chief Alice Weidel Enhances Global Standing Through Meeting with Viktor Orban
Nigel Farage's Reform UK Party Leads Poll Amid Growing Public Demand for Change
Conor Murphy Steps Down as Northern Ireland Economy Minister to Join Irish Parliament
Over 1 Million Face Penalties After Missing HMRC Self-Assessment Tax Deadline
Scottish Government Denies Plans to Ban Cat Ownership Amid Controversy
Bridget Phillipson Urges Parents to Prioritize School Attendance Amid Rising Absence Rates
Keir Starmer Advocates for Stronger UK-EU Security Partnership in Brussels
Six English Councils Granted Permission to Raise Council Tax Bills Above Cap Amid Financial Struggles
Keir Starmer Faces Growing Backlash Over Potential Approval of Rosebank Oilfield
AI Consciousness Raises Ethical Concerns, Say Experts
Families Urge NHS England to Release Full Report on Nottingham Triple Homicide
NHS Initiates Largest AI Trial for Breast Cancer Detection
UK Tightens Regulations on Online Sales of Weight-Loss Injections
Gambling Ads Shown to Parents on Baby Monitor App, Raising Concerns
Ancient Irish Rainforests at Risk Due to the Growth of Monoculture Plantations
EU Leaders Deliberate on Defense Strategy Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
EU Leaders Convene Important Summit on Defense in Response to Rising Tensions
Trump Directs Establishment of U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund, Considers TikTok Purchase
Britain Considers U.S. Gas Imports in Response to Possible Trump Tariffs
French Prime Minister Bayrou Confronts Several No-Confidence Votes Regarding the 2025 Budget
Shutdown of USAID Headquarters in Light of U.S. Government Reduction Initiatives
President Trump Launches Establishment of U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund with Possible TikTok Purchase
Investigation Launched Following Viral Video of Bodybuilder's Airport Prank
Cooling Blankets: A Remedy for Those Who Sleep Hot or Just a Marketing Ploy?
Trump Wins Again as Canada Agrees to Strengthen Border Security
Trump Seeks Rare Minerals from Ukraine in Exchange for U.S. Support
EU Leaders Reach Consensus to Increase Defence Expenditure in Response to Growing Security Threats
UK Business Confidence Declines Amid Economic Uncertainty, Lloyds Survey Shows
Abhishek Sharma's Century Secures India a 4-1 T20 Series Win Over England
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will welcome German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for talks at Chequers.
Australian soccer sensation Sam Kerr confronts a racial abuse trial in London.
Lloyds and Barclays Bank Customers Experience Service Outages
Thames Water Seeks Court Approval for £3 Billion Rescue Plan Amid Crisis
UK Manufacturing Activity Contracts for Fourth Consecutive Month in January, PMI Shows
Ex-British Soldier Receives Sentence for Espionage on Behalf of Iran and Fleeing Custody
Emergency Crews Deployed on Santorini as Earthquake Swarm Raises Concerns
Wall Street Journal Criticizes Trump's Trade War with Canada and Mexico
Trump Freezes Tariffs on Mexico After Agreement on Border Security
Nearly 96% of New Cars Registered in Norway in January Were Electric
×