Tens of thousands of nurses to stage 48-hour strike which will include A&E workers
Tens of thousands of nurses will stage a 48-hour strike at the start of next month, their union has announced, in a worsening dispute over pay and staffing.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said no services will be exempt, meaning the strike will involve for the first time nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services that previously did not take part.
The union has accused the government of refusing to engage in negotiations.
The strike will run continuously for 48 hours from 6am on 1 March.
A series of two-day strikes held by the RCN in December, January and earlier this month ran for 12 hours each time only during the day shift.
The RCN said it will reduce services to an “absolute minimum” and ask hospitals to rely on members of other unions and other clinical professions instead.
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Pat Cullen (centre) joins RCN members on the picket line (file pic)
‘Choose talking over strike action’
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen told Sky News it was “with a very heavy heart” she was announcing the escalation.
“It is simply because we can find no resolution with this government,” she said.
“What I’m saying to the prime minister today is please choose talking over strike action and saving the NHS is really important to every single nurse that I have written to today.”
She said she would be “absolutely delighted” if Prime Minister Rishi Sunak or the government would sit down for talks.
“I will be there to represent the 100,000 plus nurses in England that will have to take part in this strike action in the beginning of March if this government continues to not get into a room and start to negotiate.
“So we will not be found wanting within the Royal College of Nursing to try and bring an end to the strike. We will do that on behalf of every single nurse and every patient that deserves better in this country.”
The RCN initially demanded a pay increase of up to 19% to cover soaring inflation and falls in real term wages over the past decade, but last month Ms Cullen said it could accept a pay rise of around 10% to end the ongoing dispute.
The government has refused to re-open pay negotiations, saying it was right to stick to the recommendation of the independent pay review body of around 4% when public finances are struggling.
Striking nurses earlier this month
Escalation ‘will risk patient safety’
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Failure to provide cover during strike action for key services like cancer care is a significant escalation from the Royal College of Nursing that will risk patient safety.
“We are working closely with NHS England on contingency plans, but this action will inevitably cause further disruption for patients.
“I’ve had a series of discussions with unions, including the RCN, about what is fair and affordable for the coming year, as well as wider concerns around conditions and workload.”
Increased financial support
The union also announced the initial strike benefit rate will be increased from £50 to £80 per day, with the rate increasing to £120 from the fourth day of action.
A woman who was stabbed to death in north London has been named by police – as a man was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Pamela Munro, 45, was found with a stab wound and died at the scene in Ayley Croft, Enfield, on Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police said.
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday and is in custody, the force added.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “Investigating officers have worked relentlessly across the weekend to investigate the circumstances around Pamela’s death.
“We continue to support her family who are understandably devastated.”
Police at the scene at Ayley Croft in Enfield
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The Met Police has asked anyone with information or who was driving through Ayley Court between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and may have dashcam footage to contact the force.
A “British man” has died after being beaten and set on fire by a mob in Ecuador, according to reports by media in the South American country.
According to reports, the man – who has not been officially identified – had been detained by police after being accused of being involved in a fatal shooting.
Ecuadorian news outlet Ecuavisa reported that the man had been taken to a police station Playas del Cuyabeno, a remote village in the Amazon rainforest.
While there, a group broke into the station and took the man away. He was then set on fire in the street, it is reported, and died from his burns.
The incident reportedly happened in the Playas del Cuyabeno area of Sucumbios province
Another local report, from EXTRA.ec, said that specialist police units had been slow to arrive due to the geographical conditions of the area – which is accessible by river.
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According to reports, police officers at the station apparently decided they could not intervene when the mob arrived out of concerns for their own safety.
It is understood the UK Foreign Office is following up reports about the incident and working with local authorities to confirm the details.
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