British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is refusing to give in to pressure, even from his own Conservative Party, to sit down with the striking nursing staff. Around 100,000 NHS nurses are striking for higher wages. Not everyone is there, in many sectors, including public transport, work has been stopped. Strikes are also spreading.
“Pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Sunak to at least comply with the nurses’ request to come and talk about pay increases,” says British correspondent Lia van Bekhoven. The government’s strategy actually appears to be to beat the strikers by ignoring their wage demands as much as possible. Anything can be negotiated, like fringe benefits, but not salary increases.’
On a visit to Belfast, Prime Minister Sunak told the BBC that the Health Minister has always been ‘clear’, ‘the door is always open, it always has been, but we want to be fair, reasonable and constructive, that’s why we have the recommendations from an independent wage agency on what constitutes a fair wage.”
Historic strike
“For the first time in history, 100,000 nurses have been fired and some conservatives are urging them to at least sit down with them. Even the tone of the conservative press is: at least give the nursing staff more than you are offering now.
There is a lot of support for the nursing staff strike. However, Van Bekhoven points out. “The sympathy for them is very great, especially since covid, but not unconditionally. Polls show support wanes the longer strikes last.’ British citizens have the slightest sympathy for the striking railway workers.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
