The 17% pay increase sought by a nursing union that has voted to strike is “unaffordable,” according to Rishi Sunak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nurses in the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) union have voted to strike for the first time in the union’s 106-year history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RCN members will be present in more than half of hospitals and community teams as part of the action, but emergency care will continue to be provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The prime minister stated that the health secretary would meet with union representatives to “see how we can resolve this.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Sunak told reporters after a meeting of the British-Irish Council in Blackpool that he shared “everyone’s respect and gratitude for our nurses.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But he added: “Where we are now is that the unions are asking for a 17% pay rise – and I think most people watching will recognise that clearly that’s not affordable”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He stated that the government’s pay offer was consistent with the recommendations made by the independent NHS Pay Review body in July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The strike vote follows a pay dispute in which the government offered a below-inflation average increase of 4.75% for nurses in England and Wales next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During a ballot held on Wednesday, nurses from all services in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted for action. All but one health board in Wales did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In England, nearly half of NHS trusts had insufficient turnout to allow for strike action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scotland has offered a flat rate of slightly more than \u00a32,200, implying that a newly qualified nurse would earn approximately 8% more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because there is no functioning government in Northern Ireland, nurses have yet to receive a pay award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It comes as the government looks for ways to cut spending ahead of the autumn statement, which is expected to include tax increases.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The 17% pay increase sought by a nursing union that has voted to strike is “unaffordable,” according to Rishi Sunak. Nurses in the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) union have … <\/p>\n