Online voices

TOPIC:

It could be the first ever strike in England and Wales by members of the Royal College of Nursing.

Wendy Kitching: If that's what they have to do...

All NHS health workers should strike. It's not just the nurses who are suffering.

Si Telford: Really what about urgent operation that if not treated could leave me paralysed that has been left untreated for a year and a half, I haven't paid 31 years of N.I. for nothing. I agree nurses are underpaid but all NHS staff really?

Phill Tee: Good, 100% support the nurses, govt taken the mick out of them for long enough. Clapping and banging pans on the doorstep doesn’t pay the £450 a month gas and electric bills.

Paul Lewis: I personally don't agree with strike action from nurses and emergency services but something has to give. I 100% believe they deserve better pay, I hope in the coming weeks the government will sort this and reward them accordingly, I also hope all health and social care workers are discussed and not forgotten, they work just as hard caring for the sick, elderly and vulnerable, very often longer hours, short staffed and many on minimum wage with.

Phill Tee: This is the problem, nobody wants strikes but after pay freezes and below inflation pay "rises" for 15 years this can't go on. We cannot attract enough nurses or teachers to fill the vacancies and unless there are significant pay rises across many sectors we simply wont have the staff to do the jobs. This is already happening and the quality of care is suffering. Same in schools, 10 years ago we had classes of 23 or 24, its now often over 30. Ultimately patients and children suffer.

Reg Lounton: And rightly so they deserve a lot more than they on atm...they do a fantastic job. We can't do without them.

Allan Crago: Who can blame them. The infrastructure of the country is being systematically torn apart by this useless government.

Steve Robson: Not useless mate, they are ruthlessly following their dogma to dismantle the NHS and bring in the American model.

Louise Clark: Their unions agreed their pay rise ..... that was before cost living shot up.