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Prime ministers

Rishi Sunak Opens Door to One-Off Payment and Pay Talks with Unions

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

NHS staff and railway workers are at the center of a wave of industrial unrest in the UK, with ministers holding emergency meetings in a bid to end the strikes. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak remains open to discussing pay, with health unions pushing for a one-off payment to help deal with the soaring cost of living. Talks between ministers and unions are ongoing, with Health Secretary Steve Barclay set to meet with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Education Secretary Gillian Keegan discussing potential strike action with teaching unions. Meanwhile, rail minister Huw Merriman has called in train workers to negotiate a resolution to the sustained action, which has crippled services.

Key Takeaways:

  • The government has opened the door to discussing pay with unions, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stating he is "happy to talk about pay" with unions.
  • Health unions, led by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), are pushing for a one-off payment to help deal with the soaring cost of living and to avoid planned strikes.
  • The RCN has stated that it feels "unlikely" that the planned strikes on Wednesday and Thursday next week will be called off, with Patricia Marquis, the director for England at the RCN, saying that unless there is a conversation about this year's pay award, the dispute will not be resolved.
  • Teaching unions, led by the National Education Union (NEU), are set to meet with Education Secretary Gillian Keegan to discuss potential strike action, with Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, stating that "children are being harmed every day by the crisis and the catastrophe of the workforce shortages in our schools".
  • Rail minister Huw Merriman has called in train workers to negotiate a resolution to the sustained action, which has crippled services.
  • A majority of train workers (590 out of 1,200) have taken sustained action since January this year, with only one in five trains running between Tuesday and Saturday.

Statistics:

  • 1,200 train workers have taken part in sustained action since January this year.
  • 590 train workers have participated in the sustained action.
  • The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has stated that the chance of strikes being called off is less than 50%.
  • 590 out of 1,200 train workers have taken part in the sustained action.
  • The National Education Union (NEU) has stated that schools are facing a crisis, with Mary Bousted stating that "children are being harmed every day by the crisis and the catastrophe of the workforce shortages in our schools".

Sources:

  • The Times (Rishi Sunak opens door to one-off payment and pay talks with unions)
  • Sky News (NHS strikes: Royal College of Nursing leader says talks 'unlikely' to resolve dispute)
  • BBC News (NHS and rail workers hold talks with ministers)
  • BBC News (Teaching unions to meet Education Secretary on Monday)
  • National Education Union (NEU) (Children are being harmed every day by the crisis and the catastrophe of the workforce shortages in our schools)

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