'Bitterly disappointing': NHS strikes set to go ahead after unions lament little progress in crunch talks
9 January 2023, 19:39 | Updated: 9 January 2023, 20:04
NHS strike action is set to go ahead after unions were left disappointed by crunch government talks.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said said the talks were "bitterly disappointing", and that ministers "have a distance to travel" to prevent a second set of strikes on January 18 and 19.
Unison there had been discussions over pay, but there were no "tangible concessions" that would mean the walkout by ambulance workers on Wednesday could be called off.
Ministers have also been speaking to rail and teaching unions as the government seeks to prevent further industrial action.
Unions are demanding pay rises that reflect the high levels of inflation, but ministers have said offers must be "affordable".
Read more: Andrew Marr: 'Can the NHS model, the pride of Britain, survive much longer?'
Ahead of the summit talks, the PM, Rishi Sunak, didn't deny that the government could offer a one-off payment to public sector workers to help with the cost of living.
Unite negotiator Onay Kasab said the Government told the union they would need to “justify” a payment through productivity.
Another strike will take place on January 23.
Other union representatives were slightly more positive following the meetings, with Unison's head of health Sara Gorton saying there had been some progress.
But Ms Gorton added that there had been "no tangible commitments" and the scheduled walkouts would go ahead.
She said: "It was a very civil meeting. We did actually manage to talk about pay. We didn't get the tangible concessions that we might have hoped or that would enable us to call off the strikes later this week and next.
"But it was definitely progress, we were in a room with the Secretary of State, talking about pay. I think he has asked for our help to help with the Treasury to make the case for investment in pay."
"We will certainly do that but we didn't get the tangible outcome that we were hoping for."
Rachel Harrison, of the GMB union, said the negotiations "fell well short of anything substantial that could stop this week's strikes".
She said there was "some engagement on pay" but no "concrete offer".
It means ambulance strikes set for January 11 and 23 are expected to proceed.
Elaine Sparkes, from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said the talks had been "more constructive" than previous discussions but "there is nothing tangible on the table" and strike dates would be announced by the union later this week.
Last week, Rishi Sunak said he wanted to have a “grown up, honest conversation with union leaders about what is responsible, what is reasonable and what is affordable for our country when it comes to pay".
