UK nurses reject pitiful 5% raise offer as trade union uncovers govt's wasteful spending on private ambulances
UK nurse strike
Nurses in England have rejected an offer for a five per cent raise and have announced plans for further strikes as they seek a "significantly improved offer." This comes as research by a trade union found that UK's National Health Service (NHS) has been wasting more than £1 million ($1.23 million) on private ambulances for emergency calls.
Unison has alleged that instead of properly investing in ambulances, across the country, annually,the government is spending at least £61 million ($75.3 million) on private ambulances to respond to emergency incidents such as road traffic accidents and stroke patients.
Watch |UK nurses prepared to strike until Christmas
As per the Mirror, this is taking place amid warnings that the government is not properly investing in ambulance services.
The trade union warned that spending tens of millions on private 999 covers is a "short-term fix, not a long-term solution to the crisis in ambulance services".
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"Ambulance services are in a desperate state because the Government has failed to invest long term," said Unison.
On the other hand, about 54 per cent of nurses who took part in a ballot over the five per cent pay raise offered by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government voted to reject the deal.
In a letter to Health Minister Steve Barclay, RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen proclaimed: "Until there is a significantly improved offer, we are forced back to the picket line."
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"Meetings alone are not sufficient to prevent strike action and I will require an improved offer as soon as possible," he added.
As per a Reuters report citing the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) trade union, its members will stage a 48-hour strike starting April 30. For the first time, nursing staff from emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services will join the protests.
(With inputs from agencies)
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