To say the government is right to impose minimum service levels on nurses

[Stackss]

So today the nursing unions have announced they will be withdrawing from A&Es, intensive care units, chemotherapy and other key services. Now, I am not a conservative voter by any means and I do think nurses should get a fair pay rise (although I don’t think 10% is affordable).

However, I don’t think it is acceptable for unions to be putting lives at risk by refusing to provide life-saving care. The armed forces and prison officers are not allowed to strike- I would now support minimum service levels being extended to nurses to prevent the unions doing this.

I suspect I am not the only one and the unions need to be careful not to shoot themselves in the foot.

Thank you for again demonstrating that the UK's strike laws are draconian.

That is of no comfort to patients who have operations etc cancelled, it also demonstrates the strength of feeling.... there is also something not quite right with the balloting, my DD never got a ballot paper, despite being in UNISON, i think the RM strikes may well have altered how the balloting was carried out, which is quite ironic really.....

... also, in regard to the RCN, if they accept any negotiated offer, i wonder how that effects the Agenda for Change pay rates for everyone else?

@Alexandra2001 .. also, in regard to the RCN, if they accept any negotiated offer, i wonder how that effects the Agenda for Change pay rates for everyone else?

That's a good question.

If all the workforce get a payrise on the back of one Union's members' activities that causes ill-feeling in those who took action. But to have different paygrades for members of different unions will create cries of "discrimination".
One answer is a 'Closed Shop' but these were reined back as restrictive recruitment practices and made illegal following trade union legislation in 1990 and 1992.

@DrawingdowntheMoon

The Scottish govt (as part of their revised offer) is looking at AFC and rebanding nurses.

Nursing assistants in Scotland have been rebanded from a 2 to a 3 without interference from the remaining band 2 roles so it is possible

@Alexandra2001

Our trust has suspended all elective surgery. Ongoing for 6 weeks.

Nothing to do with the strikes

Maybe you should message your mp and ask what theyre doing about the capacity and staffing issues in the NHS?

Not mailed but have asked on their FB page....

Look, if i had my way, the staff in the NHS would walk out indefinitely, the underfunding of the NHS over the last 13years is a total disgrace, as is the treatment of staff, both in pay and working conditions.

So please don''t have a go at me.

@Alexandra2001

I wasn't having a go at you.

Just pointing out the failings of the NHS are not the fault of the nursing staff

Wish the government could impose minimum staffing levels for all nhs staff, every day of the week.

A dream, I know

The government won't, because then they would have to pay to staff the NHS properly day in day out.