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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/p>\nA senior Conservative source has raised concerns that hard left extremists whose aim is to bring down the government are influencing the RCN\u2019s decision on whether to end strike action.<\/p>\n
The warning comes as almost 300,000 members of the RCN in England are being asked to renew their mandate for industrial action until the end of the year.<\/p>\n
The union met with the Corbynite leaders of the hard-left NHS Workers Say No group which has links with Extinction Rebellion.<\/p>\n
Pat Cullen, RCN chief executive and general secretary, is reported to have spent \u2018some time\u2019 with Harry Eccles, one of the group, who posted a picture of himself with her and fellow hard left activists.<\/p>\n
The RCN is urging members to vote \u201cyes\u201d to strike action, saying it would pressure ministers to improve the pay award for nursing staff and boost staffing levels to keep patients safe.<\/p>\n
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RCN members rejected the Government\u2019s pay offer in April after several days of strike action which have taken place since Decemeber.<\/p>\n
The RCN\u2019s new ballot will be aggregated, meaning the union is seeking a country-wide mandate to allow strikes in every NHS trust or other NHS employer in England where RCN members work.<\/p>\n
Any future strikes would involve more than twice as many nursing staff at twice as many locations, said the RCN.<\/p>\n
To achieve a country-wide mandate, 50 percent of all eligible members must vote and the majority must say \u201cyes\u201d to strike action.<\/p>\n
The ballot will close on June 23, with the result expected to be announced the following week.<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> NHS Workers Say No are part of an alliance that includes Extinction Rebellion, Black Lives Matter, Don\u2019t Pay UK and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.<\/p>\n They are \u201cdemanding systemic change to tackle the interconnected crises of climate, cost of living, and politics\u201d.<\/p>\n The Conservative source said: \u201cThe government\u2019s fair and reasonable pay offer was accepted by a majority of NHS unions and was recommended by the RCN so it\u2019s disappointing that their leadership now seems to be teaming up with hard-left campaigners to put politics above patients.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is time to put industrial action behind us and work together to cut waiting lists and ensure that patients get the care they need.\u201d<\/p>\n A majority of unions voted to accept the pay offer made by the government which will give NHS staff a one-off payment of between \u00a31,655 and \u00a33,789 for last year, on top of the \u00a31,400-a-head they had already received as well as a 5 per cent consolidated pay rise for this year.<\/p>\n However, the RCN narrowly rejected this and have started to adopt a more partisan tone. At its recent conference speeches notes it sasid that: \u2018The NHS strikes are part of a social and political struggle\u2019 and that they seek to \u2018defeat\u2019 the government.<\/p>\n Pat Cullen is urging her members to back more strike action.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cOnce again, we have been forced to ask our members if they want to take to the picket lines in their fight for fair pay. This is unfinished business and the Government can get it resolved without the need for more strike action.<\/p>\n \u201cMinisters have tried to silence them through the courts as well as in Parliament but we will continue to make sure their voice is heard through the corridors of power.<\/p>\n \u201cThe NHS is fraying at the edges. To improve care and address the shortage, Government must bring more people into nursing and keep them there by paying staff fairly.\u201d<\/p>\n
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