NHS strikes: More than half of Mail readers say nurses were wrong to walk out

It’s a topic that has sparked huge debate across the UK.

So were the thousands 100,000 nurses who chose to strike in England, Wales and Northern Ireland yesterday right to do so?

More than half of MailOnline readers said medics were wrong to walk out. Read their opinions on the controversial strikes here…

Health Secretary Steve Barclay avoided striking medics — visiting a hospital that did not back action — where he remained adamant that the Government wouldn’t meet the union’s pay demands

The Royal College of Nursing has pledged industrial action on December 15 and 20

This map shows the hospitals where the Royal College of Nursing will hold its first strikes over pay on Thursday 15 and Tuesday 20 December

This graph shows the Royal College of Nursing’s demands for a 5 per cent above inflation pay rise for the bands covered by its membership which includes healthcare assistants and nurses. Estimates based on NHS Employers data

Poll

Do YOU think the nurses were right to strike today?

• YES 8797 votes
• NO 12637 votes
• UNDECIDED 409 votes

The money has to come from hard-pressed taxpayers, most have little spare money. – sleepysam, London United Kingdom 

Total unrealistic demands. When considering their pay, pension, holidays and other benefits they are much better off than your average private sector worker. – vote2leave, United Kingdom

No! 70,000 appointments have been cancelled. Now was not the time. – OrdinaryAverageBloke, London, United Kingdom

No one’s wages have kept up with inflation. – sparky56789, Bristol, United Kingdom

Surely one has to accept if you work in public services you are never going to be earning high salaries. You go into public service to serve the public. If you want to earn a great salary, go and work for a bank or take a bit of a risk and start your own business. – Jacky Jax Jackson, Hooverville, United Kingdom

I haven’t had much of a pay rise for a few years. I’m in the private sector. I could get another better paid job for longer hours, but I love my job. Happiness in a job is far better than drudgery – Normal Girl, Lincoln, United Kingdom 

Give them a pay rise in exchange for total reform of the NHS. Get rid of the none jobs and wastage and use the savings for patient care and better pay. Right now the NHS is a bottomless money pit which is unsustainable and will inevitably lead to its demise unless major change is effected. – Charlie Sylo, Solihull, United Kingdom

Who in the private sector is getting such a high pay rise? Nobody! My husband got his usual 3% and works hard as an engineer. You get a good pension – bore off. Nurses are to be admired yes but you know the pay levels when you go into the job, tired of all this now – Carlie Wurly, United Kingdom

No not for the amounts they are claiming, they already had a pay rise when other public sector workers didn’t. Everybody would like more money but the current pay offer is better than most can expect in these difficult times. – Bunny, Ipswich, United Kingdom 

The nurses are earning a comparable salary to NHS engineers, at all levels, so why are they complaining? – Us, United Kingdom 

I agree the nurses need higher pay but 19% is far too high. The government though are getting more money because inflation means more tax income but all they want to do is pay off the national debt. – PaulDavis, York, United Kingdom 

I understand people need money to live. I all so agree with the pay rise but the percentage they want is ridiculous. If they want more money find a job that pays more. – ian, United Kingdom

Yes totally agree underpaid and taken for granted. This government will help anyone but there own – Peter Muffler, Udon thani, Thailand 

Lots of appointments and minor surgery being cancelled every day because of staff and bed shortages, now is the time! – raynad59, United Kingdom 

Lower paid nurses along with the auxiliaries do deserve more but also the police deserve a lot more as they put their lives on the line for the public, yes they are some bad ones it’s up to an outside body to get rid of them. – al500, Luton, United Kingdom 

I vote double the pay of every nurse, medical worker, ambulance, everyone involved in the health care profession. They were there for us in COVID now is the time we are behind them. – Paul Illingworth, Saintes, France 

I will support nurses getting a pay rise when teachers get the same. Including all the college and university teachers who were pushed onto zero hour contracts to save money. – VelvetHedgehog, Newcastle, United Kingdom 

Absolutely people go to work to build their lives and finances not barely scrape by, many not even managing that. Time for change in this country, enough is enough! – Exactly that, Birmingham, United Kingdom 

Totally. The fat cats get their bonuses and pay increases. It’s about time people stood up and be heard. Power to the people. – Emi0001, United Kingdom

In other related news…

Up to six in 10 routine operations were called off at hospitals amid the NHS’ biggest ever nurses’ strike, health leaders confirm

Nurses on the picket lines reveal exactly why they’re striking… but others warn they have a ‘moral duty’ not to abandon patients 

No10 denies chief nursing officer for England Dame Ruth May was speaking for the Government when she apparently backed 100,000 striking nurses