In the United Kingdom, nurses and paramedics were laid off from work en masse on Monday. They demand more pay.
More than 100,000 male nurses and 10,000 paramedics are on strike on Monday. It is the largest strike ever within the National Health Service (NHS), the overarching British health system. Actions by physiotherapists and ambulance, and nursing staff will also follow later this week.
The unions demand at least 10 percent more wages, in line with inflation. However, the government maintains a wage increase of 4.75 percent.
The UK health system is cracking at the seams. Millions of people are on waiting lists for routine treatments. This week’s strike action alone has forced more than 55,000 appointments to be postponed.
Other British government employees have also stopped work in recent weeks or are still planning to do so. All demand those higher wages now that life has become so much more expensive.