Chipping Norton councillor joins picket line for striking nurses in Oxford

The strikes on Monday and Tuesday (February 6-7) in Oxford were part of a national 48 hours of industrial action organised by the Royal College of Nursing over pay disputes and unsafe staffing within the NHS.

Speaking on the striking action, Cllr. Steve Akers said: "I was proud to show my support for striking nurses at my old hospital in Oxford. It was very vocal and enthusiastic, with loud cheers and blowing of whistles every time passing car, van, bus, and taxi drivers hooted their support.

"Overstressed nurses and other health workers are right to strike. There has to be an improvement on the below-inflation pay award implemented earlier this year if we as a country are to stop the exodus of experienced nurses, paramedics, and other staff from the front line.

"Everyone needs to get behind our health workers and force the Westminster government to come to the negotiating table now and stop their lies and spin. We've all had enough of them."

Maria Caulfield, the minister for mental health and women’s health strategy, who is also a nurse and an RCN member, said on Monday in an interview with Sky News that "pay would be on the agenda for any future talks, but only next year’s deal”, adding: "We’ve been pretty clear that we’re not going to look at the current year’s pay award. That was agreed in April by the unions and by the government and accepted in full. We really want to focus on the forthcoming pay awards."