ENGLAND will this week be hit by the “biggest nurses strike the world has ever seen”, it was claimed yesterday.
Tens of thousands of NHS staff will down tools this Wednesday and Thursday in the second wave of walkouts in a month.
PAEngland will this week be hit by the “biggest nurses strike the world has ever seen”, it was claimed yesterday[/caption]
AFPMeanwhile, the RMT rail union, led by Mick Lynch, pictured, is ‘ready to sue for peace’ after recent stoppages left members heavily out of pocket[/caption]
Staff across 55 trusts are taking part — 11 more than joined the December strikes.
A source at the Royal College of Nursing union said they think it will be the “biggest nurses strike the world has ever seen”.
The union — whose walkouts last month were the first in its 106-year history — is demanding an improvement to the existing pay offer.
Government sources warned that the action will harm sick and vulnerable patients.
Meanwhile, as the country is battered by the worst strikes since the 1980s, there are growing hopes the RMT could come to an agreement.
The rail union, led by Mick Lynch, is “ready to sue for peace” after recent stoppages left members heavily out of pocket.
The RMT could agree to ballot members on a deal as early as Tuesday.
A rail industry insider said of the talks with the RMT: “The union’s getting quite fatigued.
“They’ve had a lot of strikes and missed out on a lot of pay.”
The Treasury has spent billions on keeping trains running during Covid and passenger numbers are not back to pre-pandemic levels as millions more work from home.
Industry sources say the Treasury will not keep bailing them out and warn the railways are in the “last chance saloon”.
GettyTens of thousands of NHS staff will down tools this Wednesday and Thursday in the second wave of walkouts in a month[/caption]
Even if agreement is reached, however, more misery is likely as train drivers’ union Aslef is expected to announce new strike dates tomorrow.
And teacher’s union, the NEU, will also announce whether they are going on strike tomorrow.
Lords’ battle
LORDS have been warned to support new laws cracking down on strikes and eco zealots or face reform.
Ministers want to make rail workers, NHS and other public sector workers provide minimum service levels during strikes like other European countries do.
Tory MP Sir James Duddridge said: “If peers blocked this legislation it would be the final nail in the coffin of the House of Lords.”
And one ex-minister said: “Since last year the eco protesters have only become more brazen.”