RCN nurses in Essex begin two day strike over ongoing pay dispute
The Royal College of Nursing says that they want the government to give nurses what they deserve
Last updated 6th Feb 2023
Nurses across the East from the Royal College of Nursing are beginning their two day strike today, in an ongoing dispute over pay.
This marks the third time that nurses have taken the monumental action in three months, as the government has refused to budge over pay discussions.
Outside the Colchester Hospital, some nurses who had been members of the profession for over forty years told us why they're striking:
"I'm not so much striking for me because I'm coming to the end of my career it's to do with all the younger people coming in and how they're treated really. The NHS is run by good will and has been for years.
"It's more to do with how the hospitals are now. Poor for your patients because of a shortage of staff who are always working above and beyond their hours..."
Striking Nurses
Tony Durcan represents the East for the Royal College of Nursing, and says that the dispute needs to be sorted quickly:
"Unless we invest, unless we value and unless we respect the hardworking nurses that we've got in our wards in our community, we will not have the safe staffing that we are desperately trying to achieve for everybody. It's in our grasp, it's in that opportunity," says Durcan.
"We're losing nurses"
"We are losing nurses and if we want to control this situation, the first thing the government has to do is recognise it and reward, and this is why the members of the RCN took this historical decision to take industrial action at this time."
The RCN has claimed to have repeatedly invited ministers to hold talks on NHS pay. The union wants nurses to be given a payrise of 5% above inflation, but ministers say this is unaffordable.
In January, RCN chief executive Pat Cullen said that he blamed the government in forcing the RCN to take strike action, as "rather than negotiate, (Prime Minister) Rishi Sunak has chosen strike action again. We are doing this in a desperate bid to get him and ministers to rescue the NHS."
Durcan too has mentioned that the strikes are good opportunity to show the government how important the NHS is: "Those people who were out clapping and signing petitions, we really do appreciate it, but what we need is for those people to get in contact with their MP and say to them, sort this mess out," he admits.
"It is in your opportunity to sort this mess out, and we really hope that the government will listen.
"The nurses that we have in our region are powerful, wonderful, and respectful, and all we want is for our government to recognise their value and give them the monetary value they so greatly deserve. We aren't after gold, we aren't after silver. We just want parity."
What does the government say?
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:
“Despite contingency measures in place, strikes by ambulance and nursing unions this week will inevitably cause further delays for patients who already face longer waits due to the Covid backlogs. We prioritised £250 million of support last month for extra capacity in urgent and emergency care, but strikes this week will only increase the disruption faced by patients.
“The Governor of the Bank of England warned if we try to beat inflation with high pay rises, it will only get worse and people would not be better off.
“It is crucial people continue to access the services they need – please attend your appointments unless told otherwise, use 999 in a life-threatening emergency and use NHS 111 online services, your GP and pharmacy for non-urgent health needs.
“I have held constructive talks with the trade unions on pay and affordability and continue to urge them to call off the strikes. It is time for the trade unions to look forward and engage in a constructive dialogue about the Pay Review Body Process for the coming year.”