Nurses strike results

[Nearholmer]

The unfortunate fact is that a very wide spectrum of workers have seen real-terms wage cuts to varying degrees over the past 10-15 years: nurses, teachers, police officers, paramedics, fire fighters, nursery staff, prison officers, and so it goes on, and some roles in the private sector too, although private sector roles have been much less affected in recent years than public sector (last year public sector wage rises were 1.5%, private sector 7.2%).

Then there are sectors like social care where I don’t think real wages have fallen, but have been so low throughout that it’s borderline impossible to bring up a family on them in the UK, so it’s borderline impossible to attract staff.

To me it feels like a near re-run of the late 1970s, when pent-up pressures around public sector pay “burst out all over”. Then there had been various forms of overtly stated “public sector pay restraint”, this time round no real overt declaration, but the effect of ‘austerity’ has been much the same.

[Stevek76]

so only 40% want to strike - it is all coming over as very greedy to me, I don't support them. And I really struggle to see how someone earning above 30k is having to rely on food banks, unless they are mismanaging their money.

They've been through real terms cuts for years, absolutely fair they should be getting rises in line with cost of living.

I'm curious as to what your rent/mortgage cost is, and if you're familiar with the current costs, particularly rents that you'd be having to pay to live within a sensible commute of many hospitals.

Feel there's an irony here in that if the NHS was privatised, nurses wages would likely shoot up due to simple supply/demand mechanics.

[PedallingSquares]

so only 40% want to strike

Actually 80% of those who voted want to strike so that's 80%,not 40%.
That's how democracy works.If you can't be ar$ed to vote then you can't complain when it goes against your wishes.
Didn't only half of half the electorate vote for Brexsh!t?

2k a month is pretty much £500 a week - think of a £10 note then image FIFTY of them. every week. Loadsamoney didn't even a wadge that big

For doing shifts/weekends/Xmas day etc,etc.
What planet do you live on?
I do similar shifts to a nurse but don't work Xmas day/night and wouldn't get out of bed for £30k!

[briansnail]

From the news. Its as much the work load as pay. Due to staff shortages Nurses have to work long shifts and have a heavy work load.
We also pinch other countries badly needed nurses where pay conditions are even worse.
There was a report in a newspaper that British doctors are training in Bulgaria and used to in Ukraine as cheaper. However some found it difficult to get jobs in the UK. This I did not understand as the medical degrees were recognised by the GMC.
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I ride Brompton and a 100% British Vintage

[Jdsk]

...
There was a report in a newspaper that British doctors are training in Bulgaria and used to in Ukraine as cheaper. However some found it difficult to get jobs in the UK. This I did not understand as the medical degrees were recognised by the GMC.

"Young Britons head to eastern Europe to train as doctors":
https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/ ... as-doctors
(possibly paywalled)

...
However some found it difficult to get jobs in the UK. This I did not understand as the medical degrees were recognised by the GMC.

There isn't a shortage of newly qualified doctors applying for jobs in the UK. I would imagine that the employers find them less attractive than those trained in the UK.

But there aren't enough posts at any level and there are massive problems of retention later on.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

From the news. Its as much the work load as pay. Due to staff shortages Nurses have to work long shifts and have a heavy work load.
...

The surveys that I have seen say working conditions and poor opportunities for personal development.

Heavy clinical workload isn't the same as poor working conditions.

Jonathan

[reohn2]

A simple question for those who think nurses are on a good thing.
Would you do their job?
Could you do their job?
Think about it a while.....

[mumbojumbo]

Advocates of free markets argue that the invisible hand, of higher pay, would increase supply and reduce the shortage of nurses. This would obviate the need to strike .The Tories advocate free markets, but fail to act accordingly..

[ossie]

A family member gave up a very good job in retail to undertake a nursing degree. She now carries a large debt probably for life.. Nursing students have to work 3000 hours unpaid as part of their three year degree. We worked out she was paying the Government £11 an hour to train as a nurse. On her induction last month, 75% were Filipino.

Reference doctors, for many years the UK limited places at medical schools for UK students because its bloody expensive to train doctors in the UK. Universities will also charge foreign medical students up to £40k a year to study here, naturally it was in their best to attract foreign students.

[Biospace]

There was a report in a newspaper that British doctors are training in Bulgaria and used to in Ukraine as cheaper.

I read reports of increasing numbers travelling elsewhere for medical treatment, for dental treatment and more. I'm surprised more 'unskilled' workers didn't move to where they could afford a house, while they could.

[Ben@Forest]

There was a report in a newspaper that British doctors are training in Bulgaria and used to in Ukraine as cheaper.

This is not very new news and not confined to British medical students. A few years my wife worked with an American doctor in the NHS. The American had trained in Romania on a course entirely delivered in English. He had then come to work in Britain. So he was an American doctor, who'd done none of his medical training or practice in America.