British workers stage largest strike in history of health service

Health workers in Britain began their largest strike on Monday, with tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance workers walking out in an escalating pay dispute, putting further strain on the state-run National Health Service NHS).

LONDON - Nurses and ambulance workers have been striking separately on and off since late 2022, but Monday’s walkout involving both, largely in England, is the biggest in the 75-year history of the NHS.

Nurses will also strike on Tuesday, while ambulance staff will walk out on Friday and physiotherapists on Thursday, making the week probably the most disruptive in NHS history, its medical director Stephen Powis said.

Health workers are demanding a pay rise that reflects the worst inflation in Britain in four decades, while the government says that would be unaffordable and cause more price rises, and in turn make interest rates and mortgage payments increase.