Let’s hope nurses’ pay dispute won’t end badly

LET us begin by saying this newspaper has every sympathy with the feelings of nurses and, indeed, other frontline NHS workers in regards to the one per cent pay rise on offer.

After a year where they have carried the nation’s fight against Covid-19 the increase in their wage packet looks derisory, at least on the face of it.

However, these are difficult times and it is important to consider the wider situation when coming to a view on this difficult issue.

Nurses will keep their jobs and have not had to endure pay cuts.While this seems little compensation, 700,000 people in the private sector have already ended up out of work. Many more have had pay cuts.

The reality is that Treasury coffers are under huge pressure, we have racked up hundreds of billions in debt and the economic road ahead is bumpy.

Those of us who are still in jobs will be paying to tackle the mountain of national debt.

We also have to remember that the Government is finally coming up with a solution for social care at the end of the year. This in itself will be expensive.

With so many demands on the NHS in the months to come, it would be inexpedient for nurses to take industrial action.

While some may point to the £500 bonus being offered in Scotland, such a move in England would cost £700million.

The Government might well contemplate a longer term pay deal for the future after the public finances and the economy have had time to bounce back.