How Nurses Could Destroy Rishi Sunak's Strike Strategy

The Royal College of Nursing has rejected the government's pay proposal. Credit: James Manning/PA Wire

Rishi Sunak met with Tory members earlier this week and in an introductory video, before he sat down, outlined his progress since finishing 10th.

Along with the Windsor Framework, the AUKUS Defense Pact and the Illegal Migration Bill, his video hailed the National Health Service. staff remuneration agreement.

But it may have to be redacted after members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) went against the advice of their leader and rejected the proposal.

Pat Cullen, general secretary of the nurses union, recommended that members accept the proposal of five per cent in this year plus a one-time bonus for the previous year. However, on Friday, the results of the vote showed that 54% do not agree with it and want to continue the strike.

The decision comes as a blow to the prime minister, as he hoped that the acceptance of the RCN proposal would convince other unions to compromise. Officials have stuck to a “divide and conquer” approach, in which deals will be made first with less radical unions, putting pressure on others to stop fighting.

In addition to nurses, teachers, civil servants went on strike in Britain and railroad workers. Instead of announcing the end of the wave of strikes, the RCN members' decision could see the strikes continue for several months.

However, government data is not as pessimistic as one might expect, stating that there may be a pay deal labor can still be concluded. They say they can get the support of two of the three big unions — Unison, GMB and RCN — along with a handful of smaller ones, meaning the 5% pay rise will take effect.

That's because it would give them a majority on the «NHS Staff Council,» which is responsible for the pay system and includes representatives from both employers and unions.

On Friday, Unison announced that its members backed the deal on 74%, backing up the government's arguments.

Results of NHS payment proposal

Ministers hope that if RCN members see that others have accepted the agreement, they will not want to vote for further strikes. In addition, they will begin to see the effect of a five percent increase in their wages, which could reduce the appetite for further strikes.

«Nurses don't want to strike,» the source said. “Most of the participants in the front do not really want to go on strike. They want to do their job.”

Once the nurses' strike is resolved, the ministers hope that other unions can follow suit and put an end to their disputes.

Regardless of whether is that the case in the end. , Jeremy Hunt, chancellor, made it clear that the government has no chance of raising its offer.

Speaking in Washington on Thursday, Mr. Hunt said the government was ready to drop wage demands from teachers' strike and doctors, even if it resulted in more short-term economic losses. He said agreeing to pay the demands would be a «short-term solution» that risks fueling already «dangerously high» inflation.

So unless the government is right and union members don't get tired of strikes, the UK looks set up after months of stalemate.