‘100% behind them’ - Liverpool reacts as NHS nurses walk out for second time and more strikes loom

NHS nurses in Merseyside walked out for the second time in a week in a dispute over pay and working conditions.
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NHS nurses in Merseyside took part in another day of strike action on Tuesday as up to 100,000 nursing staff in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales took to the picket line for a second time in a week.

Royal College of Nursing members have walked out in protest against pay and patient safety. The union have said if the government fails to respond within 48 hours of Tuesday's strike ending, they'll announce further strike dates for January.

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Nursing staff began strike action on December 15, but Health Secretary Steve Barclay failed to open pay negotiations following the first strike. The RCN is calling for a pay rise of 19.2%, but ministers have deemed this amount unaffordable.

Mr Barclay said: “I do not want people to miss out on vital treatment and operations, but that is what will happen if we divert resources from frontline services into unaffordable pay increases.”

We've been on the streets of Liverpool to find out what you think about the industrial action.

‘They should have a pay rise’

Elizabeth tells us what she thinks of the nurse strikesElizabeth tells us what she thinks of the nurse strikes
Elizabeth tells us what she thinks of the nurse strikes

Elizabeth said: "They should have a pay rise after ten years of pushing it back.

‘I’m 100% behind them’

Geraldine tells us what she thinks of the nurse strikesGeraldine tells us what she thinks of the nurse strikes
Geraldine tells us what she thinks of the nurse strikes
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Geraldine said: "I'm 100% behind them. During Covid, everyone was clapping for them, they were all heroes, and I think that people doing them down now should be ashamed of themselves."

‘The ‘government should be absolutely ashamed of themselves’

Linda tells us what she thinks of the nurse strikesLinda tells us what she thinks of the nurse strikes
Linda tells us what she thinks of the nurse strikes

Linda said: "My heart bleeds for them. They're run off their feet, they don't get recognised at all for what they do. Their patience is incredible. The government should be absolutely ashamed of themselves."