U.K. Nurses Mull Strike Citing Seven Years' Real-Terms Pay Cuts
- Royal College’s 270,000 members being polled over action
- State-run health service ‘facing unprecedented pressures’
Student nurses and health workers take part in a demonstration in London.
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Nurses in Britain’s state-run National Health Service are being polled over possible strike action in a move triggered by below-inflation pay rises.
The Royal College of Nursing said Thursday its 270,000 members have until May 7 to respond to an online survey that may be followed by an official strike ballot if there’s support for action. Nurses have effectively seen a 14 percent cut in pay since 2010 as a result of government austerity policies, the union said.