简体中文
The biggest strike in the history of the NHS is under way as hundreds of nurses and ambulance staff walk out at the same time. Seventy Five NHS Trusts are affected, 50,000 appointments are reported as cancelled, and 13,000 ambulance crews are also on strike today.
It's the first time ambulance paramedics and nurses have taken a strike day at the same time. Industrial action started in December and still shows no sign of being resolved either by the unions calling it off or the government entering into negotiations with public sector staff.
Nurse's unions say the government is still refusing to get involved in talks over pay. The government is saying that the nurses and other medical staff should direct their demands to next year's pay and drop their industrial action over 2022 to 2023.
Although nurse's unions have made arrangements to cover emergency care hospital bosses have urged ministers to re-open pay talks with staff. NHS Providers chief Julian Hartley said health bosses wanted to see fresh negotiations given walkouts have been suspended in Scotland and Wales following new pay offers.
Nursing staff in Wales have showed up for work today after their union representatives reached a deal with ministers of 3 percent this week on top of the 4.75 percent already given to staff below the grade of doctors.
The breakdown of the pay increase is 1.5 percent as a one-off payment and 1.5 percent added to salaries.
Industrial action had already been suspended in Scotland after the government there offered staff more money. But ministers in Westminster have ruled out any further discussion on the 4.75 percent award for this year and instead have urged unions to start discussing next year's pay deal.
All 14 health unions have pulled out of that process.
There's still little or no sign of the general public turning on the strikers. A recent poll put support for striking teachers at 48 percent, and similar sentiments are held for medical staff.
Following Brexit, the pandemic, inflation and a war in Europe it seems the voters disappointment with the state of affairs in the UK is directed more at the politicians than the public sector work force.
（CGTN）
