Unison strikes on March 8th in response to exclusion from pay negotiations

As reported by The Guardian, 32,000 healthcare staff could be striking after the government singles out the RCN for pay discussions with the health secretary

Unison has announced 32,000 healthcare staff strikes on March 8th in response to not being included in the pay rise discussions between the RCN and health secretary, Steve Barclay.

“Choosing to speak to one union and not others won’t stop the strikes and could make a bad situation much worse,” says Christina McAnea, Unison‘s general secretary. The RCN have currently put a pause to their 48hr strike in order to pursue negotiations with Barclay.

Rachel Harrison, national secretary of the GMB has denounced the government’s selective discussion with the RCN as “divide and rule politics.”

“They should be calling in all of the Agenda for Change unions for pay talks to avert the risk of further strike action affecting patients,” commented Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary.

A spokesperson from the Department of Health has responded that the health secretary was open to talks with all healthcare divisions who are however, yet to receive any summons.