Rishi Sunak did not rule out reopening pay deals for nurses this year when ministers met health workers’ representatives on Monday as part of wider talks with public sector union leaders aimed at stemming the tide of UK industrial action.
The prime minister told the BBC that Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program that the government “the door is always open” to negotiate with the trade union, adding that the ministers are willing to “talk about it enough, that is affordable and responsible for the country”.
Challenged specifically on whether he was willing to open the 2022/23 pay settlement now, he replied: “The government has always been clear that it is happy to talk about responsible, affordable wages for the country.
“But we will start a new payment round for this year,” he said. “We’re going to start that independent process, and before that process starts, the government wants to sit down with the unions and talk about pay and make sure they understand where it’s coming from.”
Pat Cullen, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said Sunak’s openness to talks gave him a “soul of optimism” that a deal could be reached.
Sunak’s apparent softening of tone comes after he said late last week that talks with the union on Monday were about “mature conversations” about pay for the financial year starting in April. In contrast, union leaders have insisted they want to focus on higher pay for their members in the current financial year.
Cullen told the BBC: “Well, the prime minister is talking about coming to the table, now it’s a step for me because I’ve said, let’s meet halfway . . . So if that table is now available, I’ll be there on behalf of over 300,000 members who take part in this election. But it should be about dealing with salaries for 2022/23.
Nurses are set to receive a 4.75 per cent rise this year with RCN members due to stage a second series of strikes across the UK on 18 and 19 January. Ambulance workers, who are members of the GMB and Unison, will be walking. out on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the British Medical Association will this week begin voting on junior doctors over possible strike action. The doctors’ union also warned on Sunday that it would discuss the creation of a ballot for industrial action by NHS consultants in the coming weeks.
In a bid to ease pressure on the NHS this winter, the government is expected to announce emergency funding to speed up the transfer of patients out of hospital and into care homes, the first step reported by the Sunday Times newspaper.
Waiting times for ambulances to admit patients to hospitals have reached new records due to a shortage of beds. More than nine out of 10 hospital beds are occupied, with almost 13,000 taken by people who are medically eligible for discharge, but remain in hospital due to a lack of available space in the social care sector.
Ministers will also hold talks with rail and education union representatives on Monday with the result of the UK teacher election due to close this week and the possibility of strikes starting at the end of January.
After months of industrial action on the railway line, industry bosses were optimistic ahead of a meeting between rail minister Huw Merriman and the unions that a settlement could be reached.
Mick Lynch, leader of the RMT, the biggest rail union, called on the government and industry to come up with new proposals to help pave the way to a deal. “I entered with optimism. . . but how was that optimism founded? [is] something I should have proven to me,” said the Financial Times.
“We will look for improvements in the package . . . if we feel we have improvements to consider, we will hold a referendum.