Strike on the Horizon? Nurses Warn against Anti-Social Hours Paycuts

Prime Minister David Cameron’s commitment to transforming health services and making England the first country in the world to deliver a truly seven day NHS, coupled with the Governments drive, could well find nurses going on a strike if payments received for working anti-social hours and weekends come under threat.

"I would particularly give a really strong warning to the Secretary of State: any attacks on unsocial hours, weekend working payments, would be strongly resisted”, said Peter Carter, Chief Executive, Royal College of Nursing (RCN).  Talking to the Independent, he added, "The membership is quite clear: unsocial hours, weekend working, Christmas Day and bank holidays - they get a very modest higher level of remuneration.  Any attack on that and I do fear it would result in industrial action."

Accusing the RCN of “jumping the gun”, Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary told Sue Jameson, political editor, GMB that they have not made any proposals about nurses pay and conditions.

With the current shortage of healthcare professionals across the country, do you think that the Government should antagonise the nurses, who could be speculating this cut or come clear about their proposed policy and its effect on anti-social and weekend working hour payments?