Nurses’ strike may be over as union leaders brace for a ballot flop
NURSES’ strikes may be over as union leaders brace for a ballot flop.
Sources in Whitehall and the NHS believe too few Royal College of Nursing members will vote for another round of action.
Insiders say it is unlikely the 50 per cent turnout threshold was met.
They claim the results were in last night but the 300,000-member RCN’s leaders were holding off making an announcement until today as it had not gone their way.
Union sources insisted it had held back the result to ensure all the numbers were correct.
Defeat would be fresh embarrassment for RCN general secretary Pat Cullen, who endorsed a 5 per cent pay deal plus bonus with ministers before it was rejected by members.
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Nurses were awarded the deal after other unions accepted it.
Ahead of the ballot result Ms Cullen was at Glastonbury telling revellers “nurses will strike again.
"We strike for patients”.
The union staged the first walkouts in its 106-year history last year.
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Meanwhile, a strike ballot of consultants in the BMA doctors’ union closes tomorrow.
If supported, it would see the experts — paid between £90,000 and £120,000 — strike on July 20 and 21.
Junior doctors are striking from July 13 to 18.
PM Rishi Sunak called the decision “disappointing”, adding ministers have to take “responsible decisions” on public sector pay given current high inflation.