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London – Thousands of nurses walked off their jobs in England on Thursday, escalating a wave of industrial unrest in the UK this month as ambulance and postal workers, bus drivers and airport baggage handlers strike across all stages to demand better pay amid rising living costs. emergency
Emergency hospital care will continue as normal, and nurses will still staff the chemotherapy and neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, the Royal College of Nursing said. But much less urgent hospital treatment was expected to be affected across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Although nurses do not plan to strike in Scotland, Thursday’s action was described as the biggest by nurses since the UK’s National Health Service was founded in 1948.
The Royal College of Nursing has called for a pay rise of 5% above the rate of inflation, although it has indicated it will accept a lower offer. The government has said the demand cannot be met, and talks between the two sides broke down on Monday.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday that his government “has spoken consistently with all unions involved in all pay disputes.”
Train travel across the country was also severely disrupted this week as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union went on strike on Tuesday and Wednesday. They also plan to take Friday and Saturday off from work.
Half of the UK’s rail lines were closed due to the strike. There will be no train services in some parts of the country, including most of Scotland and Wales.
Postal workers in the Communication Workers Union also staged a 48-hour national walkout this week and set more strike days in the run-up to Christmas.
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