DOWNING Street has said there are “no plans” to budge on pay after the biggest nursing strike in history yesterday.
Thousands of Royal College of Nursing members were out on the picket lines across Northern Ireland, England and Wales with a further strike planned for Tuesday.
In Northern Ireland, it was the second RCN strike in three years and followed a 24-hour strike from Unison, Nipsa and GMB.
Despite the increasing pressure, Number 10 is refusing to budge despite some Conservative Party members calling for a rethink.
But Mr Barclay appeared to rule out any movement during a visit to London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
“We’ve been clear that we have an independent process and that is the process we followed,” he said.
Mr Barclay has repeatedly said the government will stick to the recommendations of the independent pay review body, which said nurses should get a pay rise of around £1,400.
The RCN has called for a pay rise at 5 percent above the rate of inflation, but has hinted it would accept a lower offer.
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RCN chief executive Pat Cullen claimed there was “nothing independent” about the independent pay review body whose parameters were “set by Government”.
“I woke up this morning very, very early and felt heartbroken as a nurse,” she said.
“First of all, tragic that I have to lead the profession on to the picket lines to have their voice heard, and I think that is a serious indictment of this Government.
“It’s tragic for nursing, it’s tragic for patients and it’s tragic for the NHS that the Government feels that they can sit in their offices today and keep our nurses out in the cold.”
Showing his support with nurses at Antrim Area Hospital yesterday was Sean Kane (65) from Maghera.
After being admitted to intensive care with Covid two years ago, he said more support was needed for the nurses who saved his life.
"I couldn't be any more grateful to the nurses which is why I had to come down and support them," he said.
"It's not right at all, they should be getting even more than they're asking for. I was a working man all my life, so I know it's not nice when your pay gets cut every year."
