NHS strikes halted after gov’t agrees to offer workers improved pay
National Health Sector (NHS) strikes in the United Kingdom have been halted after the government agreed to offer workers an improved pay deal.
The breakthrough means talks between NHS unions and ministers will start next week when almost 50,000 workers had planned walk-outs, according to Daily Mirror.
Unions said there had been a “huge shift” from Government after three months of the Tories insisting improved pay was “unaffordable”.
GMB has suspended a planned walk out of 13,000 emergency service workers on Monday which was set to see only the most obviously life-threatening 999 calls answered.
National Secretary Rachel Harrison, national secretary of GMB, said, “This is a huge shift from the Government, who for months have refused to consider negotiations on pay.
“Now, they are saying they are willing to sit down and talk. The government has given assurances of additional cash for both years above existing budgets and that any deal will respect the existing Agenda for Change structure.”
“GMB’s ambulance workers have agreed to suspend industrial action so talks can begin – however the strike will return with a vengeance should talks break down.”
Until now the Tories had refused to countenance an improved pay deal for England for 2022/23 despite a growing staff crisis in the health service and record waits for care.
It has implemented a 4% rise on average despite inflation running at over 10%.
Similar strikes in Wales and Scotland have been postponed after the devolved governments offered improved pay deals of around 7%.
The bitter industrial dispute has already caused hundreds of thousands more operations and appointments to be postponed.
Unison, has also agreed to join the collective talks via the NHS Staff Council, has postponed its strike involving 32,000 NHS workers planned for Wednesday.