Rishi Sunak has refused to rule out reopening this year’s pay deal for nurses when ministers meet health worker leaders for talks on Monday, signaling for the first time a willingness to address the their demands for more money now.
The prime minister, asked if pay rises could still be possible for 2022-23, repeatedly suggested the government was willing to hold such talks with union leaders, despite ministers previously refusing to reopen talks.
Pat Cullen, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nurses, said Sunak’s openness to pay talks had offered a “bit of optimism” that further strikes could be avoided, and his comments represented a “small change “.
“The door has always been open to talk about the things nurses want to talk about, and the unions want to talk more generally, so we’ve just written to all the unions across the public sector for talks and those talks take place on Monday,” Sunak told BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.
“The government has always been clear that they are happy to talk about this year’s pay that is responsible, that is affordable… It would not be good for me to sit here and start negotiating in public with you or anyone else.” .
Pressed on whether the NHS was in crisis, the Prime Minister acknowledged the health service was “undeniably under enormous pressure” but suggested much of this was a result of the Covid pandemic, although the lists waiting were more than 4 million and the personnel crisis. existed before this point.
Sunak, who is grappling with the biggest wave of industrial action in decades, hopes talks with ministers can reduce further strikes by public sector workers such as nurses, postal staff and train drivers. But unions have said that could only happen if they look again at this year’s pay settlement.
He refused to “categorically” rule out a pay rise for nurses this year and, asked by Kuenssberg if talks could include pay “right here, right now”, meaning a deal for 2022-23 rather than the 2023-4, he replied. : “We want to have these conversations.”
However, the Prime Minister added: “We are about to start a new round of payment settlement for this year [2023-4]. Before that process starts, the government is keen to meet with the unions and talk about pay and make sure they understand where we’re coming from.”
Cullen suggested the Prime Minister had raised expectations that reopening discussions on this year’s pay deal was now on the table, which could help prevent further strikes. Otherwise, the nurses’ strike on January 18 and 19 would go ahead.
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Last week he indicated that nurses may be ready to accept a 10% pay rise with a call on the government to bring them “halfway”. He said the demand for a 19% increase, described as “unaffordable” by the government, was only a “starting point”.
After the interview, he told the BBC that there was now “a bit of optimism” and that there had been “a bit of a turnaround” from Sunak.
“The Prime Minister talked about coming to the table. This is a move for me because I have said ‘we meet halfway’. I cannot negotiate on my own and on the airwaves. If this table is already available, I will be there . But it has to be about addressing the payment from 2022 to 2023,” he said.
“We will present our case, but what the government wants to talk about tomorrow is paying forward and in the broadest terms. This will not prevent the strike action which is planned for 10 days.”