Key takeaways:
- Thousands of nurses in England walked off their jobs on Wednesday to protest for higher pay.
- The nurses are demanding a 5% pay increase above inflation, which currently stands at 13.4%.
- The strike is a sign of the long-term deterioration of the National Health Service, and the government is under increasing pressure to address the issue.
Thousands of nurses in England walked off their jobs on Wednesday to protest for higher pay, joining a wave of strikes by public sector workers across the United Kingdom. The nurses are demanding a 5% pay increase above inflation, which currently stands at 13.4%.
The strike is the latest in a series of protests by public sector workers, including ambulance crews, train drivers, airport baggage handlers, border staff, driving instructors, bus drivers and postal workers. The workers are calling for higher wages to keep up with the rising cost of living.
The strike has caused disruption for travelers to the U.K., as Border Force staff have also gone on strike. Inflation in the U.K. hit a 41-year high of 11.1% in April, and the government says it cannot afford to meet the nurses’ demands.
The strike is a stark contrast to the appreciation shown to health workers during the Covid pandemic. In March of 2020, millions of Britons stood at their front doors every Thursday at 8 p.m., clapping and banging pots in a show of thanks to the country’s health workers.
The National Health Service is facing a chronic shortage of health care staff and ballooning living costs. The strike is a sign of the long-term deterioration of the service, and the government is under increasing pressure to address the issue.
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