NHS nursing strikes are OVER… for now

Crippling nurses strikes appear to be at an end with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) failing its latest industrial action ballot. 

It comes after union organised disruption to NHS care over the last six months contributed to thousands of appointments and procedures being cancelled. 

RCN bosses wanted a fresh strike mandate from its membership in order to carry on a series of devastating walkouts after their previous six-month period expired. 

They called on members to reject a settlement offer from ministers of 5 per cent rise for this year and one-off bonus of up to £3,789 for last year in pursuit of a better deal. 

The RCN’s failure to achieve another strike ballot comes despite union boss Pat Cullen promising Glastonbury attendees that nurses would strike again. 

More than half a million NHS appointments in England have been cancelled due to health service strikes since December, official figures show

According to the Morning Star Ms Cullen told a left-leaning panel entitled Power in a Union: a Year of Strikes and Solidarity, that: ‘Taking strike action is the difference between paying your rent next month or standing up for yourself.

‘But the fight isn’t over. Nurses will strike again, but we strike for our patients.’

The 106-year-old RCN has 300,000 members and under trade union law needed needed to have convince 50 per cent of its NHS membership in England to vote in the ballot for it to be valid.

In addition, at least 40 per cent of the votes must have been in favour of the action for it to count.

The failed vote brings to a close months of unprecedented strike action by union.

Not only was it the first RCN strike in England but the bitter dispute also saw the union at one point threaten to withdraw so-called ‘life and limb’ exceptions to industrial action.