Union militants threaten NHS walkout

BRITAIN’S biggest trade union has threatened strike action that could cripple the NHS as part of a ‘summer of discontent’.

Christina McAnea, general secretary of Unison, said she would ‘strongly recommend’ walkouts if, as expected, Ministers offer health service staff in England a three per cent pay increase.

Unison, which represents nearly 500,000 health workers, is demanding an increase equal to the Retail Price Index measure of inflation – currently 11 per cent.

The threat comes as the hardline RMT union prepares to bring the train network to a standstill with strikes on June 21, 23 and 25.

A senior rail source last night said the RMT privately threatened that this would be the first of a series of strikes ‘throughout the summer and beyond’ unless its demands are met.

Tens of thousands of students face disruption as GCSE and A-level exams are being held during the week of the strikes. The RMT said: ‘Industrial action has to be effective if it is going to make the rail bosses sit up and come to a negotiated settlement.’

Unison’s threat could see Britain gripped by its worst period of industrial unrest since the 1970s.

NHS workers received a three per cent rise last year and Ministers have proposed a similar award this year. But Ms McAnea said: ‘If all we got offered was three per cent I will be strongly recommending we ask members if they will take strike action.’

Strike ballots for health and other key public sector workers must have at least a 50 per cent turnout for a walkout to be lawful.