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LONDON (AP) — U.Okay. authorities ministers are assembly commerce union leaders on Monday in a bid to finish a wave of strikes that has hobbled the rail community and strained the overburdened well being system.
Well being Secretary Steve Barclay is holding talks with well being care unions, whereas different ministers are assembly with railway unions which have staged months of strikes, and educating unions contemplating classroom walkouts.
Britain goes via its largest strike wave for many years, with airport baggage handlers, border workers, driving instructors, bus drivers and postal employees amongst those that have walked off their jobs to demand larger pay.
Nurses and ambulance employees are locked in a dispute with the state-funded Nationwide Well being Service as they search raises to maintain tempo with the hovering price of residing. Inflation within the U.Okay. hit a 41-year excessive of 11.1% late final 12 months, pushed by sharply rising power and meals prices.
Pat Cullen, head of the Royal Faculty of Nursing union, stated she noticed a “chink of optimism” in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s assertion on Sunday that he was prepared to debate “inexpensive and accountable” wage calls for. The Conservative authorities has to date insisted it can solely talk about pay charges for the 2023-24 monetary 12 months that begins in April, fairly than the present 12 months.
However the authorities has angered unions with plans to make it more durable for key employees to strike by setting ”minimal security ranges” for firefighters, ambulance providers and railways that have to be maintained throughout a strike.
A breakthrough on Monday appeared unlikely and unions stated the talks wouldn’t stop a brand new nurses’ strike scheduled for Wednesday. Ambulance workers are on account of stroll out once more subsequent week, and junior docs are voting on whether or not to strike later this 12 months.
The strikes have added to strains on a well being system already going through a number of pressures, together with rising demand for care after pandemic restrictions had been eased; a surge in flu and different winter viruses after two lockdown years; and workers shortages from pandemic burnout and a post-Brexit lack of European employees within the U.Okay.
1000’s of hospital beds are occupied by people who find themselves match to be discharged however have nowhere to go due to a dearth of locations for long-term care. That has led to ambulances caught outdoors hospitals with sufferers who can’t be admitted, and in flip to individuals with well being emergencies ready hours for ambulances to reach.
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