should the government be ashamed

Volver You need to keep up. Nurses have rejected the new renegotiated pay rise, strikes looming in New Year. Air ambulance from Arran to main land. No ambulance available to take person to hospital. Another helicopter flight needed to access an ambulance I think near Glasgow to take patient to Crosshouse hospital. Teachers on strike. Wasn't Royal Mail sold off. Rail network also privatised. Employees reaped shares. Isn't it tgerefire the company owners who should be sorting out the strikes. In Scotland Gov bought back a part of the railway, haven't niticed any difference, still a shambles. Ferries come to mind!

I rarely post on here but I'm afraid that Oreo's comment about the Postal workers hit a very raw spot. They, the actual 'feet on the ground in all weathers' troops, can see their jobs disappearing rapidly under the current regime with all potentially profit=making activities being hived off to outside agencies. They are being asked/told to work more areas with fewer staff and even more unsocial hours for little extra reward while seeing the bosses and major shareholders coining it in.
Sorry for the 'rant' but I have
posties' in the family and all my own wonderful deliverers need my/our support in this.
I'm not a great supporter of strike action but it seems as though negotiation is not 'cutting the mustard' at the present time in any areas. Unfortunately, asking for inflation busting raises is totally unwearable as all that does is make the whole financial situation worse. Piling bricks on bricks comes to mind.

Wong

No! We gave t hit the money to give the nurses a 19% pay rise. It will send our taxes, on our already stretched pay packets through the roof. That will encourage more strikes, prices will go up to pay for extra wages and then it will all go full circle. High earners whose taxes we need would then move abroad to a country where they will pay less tax. Remember the brain drain??? I wish I earned even a junior nurse’s salary but I don’t! It’s tough for us all and we just have to help each and be realistic. By the way I’m just about to start Chemo after Xmas. Don’t fancy my chances but hey ho I’m obviously not important or nurses wouldn’t put my life in jepody.

I am undergoing cancer treatment and it hasn't affected mine. It isn't a case of every nurse downing tools. Critical care continues, they haven't totally abandoned every patient

Most of the train disruption over the Christmas period is due to engineering works. The fact that the strikes are planned for this period won't make any difference to passengers as the majority of rail lines will already be closed.

Oreo

Not completely to answer the OP
I think they should have sorted things out for the NHS as they are a special case you could say, after the pandemic.So a payrise of say 8 to 9%.
The train drivers and all others on strike, not so much!
I’ve not much sympathy for them tbh.As for postal workers!
Any government’s not responsible for all the ills in the country.
The railways were kept going by furlough, and this is what they now do.

Oreo the railways weren't kept going by furlough. The rail industry was exempt from putting workers on furlough.
The train drivers aren't on strike.
Personally I back fully anyone who strikes. They don't do it for giggles, they have genuine grievances and striking is the last resort when they're being ignored.
And now that some brave people have taken a stance you can rest assured that others will follow. So I urge you to rethink and to put pressure on your precious government to come to the table and discuss the issues.
For too long employees have been asked to give more and more and it's not sustainable.
The government need to act instead of bleating that it's not their problem.

I say why choose to strike at a time like this. Post and rail disrupted when people need these two services more than any other time. If at any other time of year I would have had sympathy.

No. I don't agree with the strikes. 17% is far too much to ask for. Even the Labour government said they could not afford that much. What about supermarket staff who are paid far less worked through the pandemic? They also suffer abuse and long hours.

Oreo

Not completely to answer the OP
I think they should have sorted things out for the NHS as they are a special case you could say, after the pandemic.So a payrise of say 8 to 9%.
The train drivers and all others on strike, not so much!
I’ve not much sympathy for them tbh.As for postal workers!
Any government’s not responsible for all the ills in the country.
The railways were kept going by furlough, and this is what they now do.

I think we should all think about why these industries are striking. With the trains, it is NOT the drivers who are on strike! The RMT only represents a handful of drivers - it is the others who keep the railways open. And it is isn't just about money for either them or the postal workers. (All of whom were working through the pandemic!) - it is the changes to working practices. I for one do not want to travel late at night on a train with only a train driver in charge. Trapped on a train with no guard is simply indefensible as far as I am concerned.
And the government IS responsible for many of the ills in this country ... just listen to Rishi Sunak, "It is so sad to see so many people using food banks." !!!!! They sit back and wait for the country to collapse.

Yes, and at the end of the day we will all pay more in taxes to cover the extra pay after stikes.

We really need to clip the top salaries & bonuses to reduce the pay range, from a base level, which is the minimum wage and top salaries + extras, which would need saving up to buy yachts, etc. .

I don’t think shame is on the agenda at Eton and similar establishments. Most Tories seem to think that, like the medieval monarchy, they rule by Divine Right. I sincerely hope the next election proves them wrong. I’m too old to endure more years of Tory government.

Annie.. I agree.
I'm still working in the NHS as a Health care Professional.
I was told years and years ago, at a meeting "Politics and Politician's should be kept out of anything to do with the NHS" .
I work in a PFI Hospital with an eye watering mortgage, it was one of Tony Blaire's.
We can't apply to become a Foundation Hospital due to this, where we could sort out our own finances.
The management team are good they really know, how to achieve the best in the current climate.

The Nurses in the RCN within my Trust are not on strike but we all agree we need more staff at all levels. They the Government at the time knew there would be a problem about 15 years ago., the Unions picked it up, age of Staff, pension changes, the Government did sod all with that information.
The pay Bands under Agenda for Change is the same for all Profession staff regardless of what you do.

If the Lab Staff walked out, then you really have a major problem which will hit GP 's as well.

Those in Bands 1-4 do need an uplift without doubt but " Nurses" start on a Band 5 min, same as everyone with a degree or equivalent qualification.
Realistically 19 % there isn't the money as everyone in all Bands will have to have that uplift.

The pay review body need to step up to the plate and get involved now, not next year.
However, Teachers Armed services, local Authorities will need to be included in any future talks as they won't get left behind.

Why do so many governments not think logically? They seem to avoid the obvious while doing the ridiculous. It needs somebody with the right head on to go back to basics and deal with the important stuff that gets us back to being a country to be proud of!

The problem is no governments taking a long term view on how the UK produces energy and the fact the UK has an ageing population. To reliant on other countries and now we find our selves in this situation and no long terms plans in place for the care of the elderly, I think all governments should hang their heads in shame.
After 2 years of Covid the fact strikes are going on to ruin this years Christmas is unforgiveable they could have gone on strike after the New Year.
It just adds so much worry for everyone, shame we couldn't all have had a nice Christmas this year.
Not all the strikes are solely about money some are about working conditions which do need to change.

Blue versus Red AGAIN. Its Christmas so bah humbug to the political arguing!

My answer is No.
The country has been through such a turbulent time since early 2020. COVID was not the government’s fault and I think that overall we were looked after well. Neither is the government to blame for Putin’s actions, which have driven up food and fuel prices.
Now is the time for all of us to pull together, not make selfish demands for ridiculous pay increases. Nowadays some people expect the government to do everything for them.

A sad state of affairs for sure. But these are hard times for so many that I feel we should all develop more of an attitude of we are in this together and we will get out of it together. Than pointing fingers to blame someone else. It saddens me deeply that the NHS is in such a mess and I know the strike is as much about better conditions as it is about pay. Lets help them out . Wash our loved ones in hospitals and care homes . Help to feed those unable to feed themselves. Get people to appointments or emergency dept without using ambulances. Use helplines for advice. Respect the staff.

The Government don't know what shame is. They don't have a conscience or a shred of compassion. I support the NHS/ambulance strikers. Steve Barclay said yesterday that the strikers were putting patients at risk of harm. Has he not realised that patients are at risk of harm every day because of staff shortages? A nurse on TV yesterday said that mistakes are being made, important tasks and procedures being overlooked because of the pressures staff are under. The Conservatives' austerity measures have for years contributed to the dire state of the NHS. Money could be found to sort this out the NHS and care system if there was a will for it. There should be a clamp down on financial schemes to avoid tax (eg. off-shore accounts etc). Many of us would be willing to pay a little more tax if it were dedicated specifically to the NHS. DH and I have been retired for over 20 years and thus not paid any National Insurance. When the NHS was founded, life expectancy was much lower than it is now. We receive heating allowance every year - untaxed. For the better off these could be taxable "perks". We are on course to lose the NHS altogether. Some new thinking is needed to save it but this Government lacks the will to do anything.

Wow well done to you all not one of you mentioned the military having to work to cover all these strikers and having to give up their Christmas with family and loved ones. Yes ppl should get a decent wage but not at the min everyone is struggling with covid and putin. Ppl need to stop wasting money and living beyond their means. And buying stuff on the never never

My daughter is a nurse and for going to work every day she has to pay a £120 a year registration fee. She works on a 20 bed geriatric dementia ward, where none of the patients can do anything for themselves. New contracts were brought in where any nurse should not be responsible for more than 7 patients, yet there are only 2 qualified nurses on any shift. All patients have to be washed/dressed/medicated/ fed -often food which has gone cold. All this as well as watching over vulnerable people who try and get out through windows/door etc.
My 22 year old grandson is a postman, working 60 hours a week as they haven't got enough staff. The new contracts which they want to bring in mean a later start to the working day, so some people would be getting their post at 5/6pm and parcels would still be waiting to be collected.
People should not believe everything they hear/read on the news and from the Government.

I doubt the strikes are devised to bring down the government: most people know the Tories will hang on till the bitter end because they want to trouser the excellent pay and allowances before they lose their jobs and a miracle might save them. Strikers lose pay through striking and that is a real cost to them and their families. It takes a while to make up that loss even if they get a decent increase. The Tories put out all sorts of misleading stuff about strikers' average wages, usually by including highly paid staff like train drivers ( who are not in usually in the RMT) and omit to include for consideration by the public the debts incurred by studying for a nursing degree or the extra tax raised from increased salaries and wages or the use of food banks by nurses and other public sector workers. You might be annoyed you earn less than a nurse but joining a union might be a good idea.

My Cousin had his chemo cancelled yesterday because of the strikes.

If only the Government's pay increases were the same as those imposed on Health workers, teachers, bin men etc, instead of the 10% plus usually awarded. They are public employee too

Looks lovely ke Thatcher’s plan to get rid of the NHS is going through it’s first phase again. You’ve got to hand it to them for perseverance! I hope the public don’t turn on the strikers and , instead, get rid of the Tories for good.

Absolutely the government should be hanging their heads in shame. They are so arrogant in thinking that the public will turn against the strikers. Well this member of the public won’t. We need an election NOW!

It is allvery depressing. On top of everything our area of West Sussex has been without water since Sun lunchtime. Water back at midnight before going off again and no further update. No free bottled water available anywhere near...what a shambles this country is in !

This Government have no shame …… just excuses, lies and selfishness