If you work with a nurse agency or if you work with a nursing recruitment agency because you are seeking carers jobs and care jobs then you will know how much of an impact strikes can have on the workforce. The government have signalled that they want to have another go at introducing pans to allow employers to use agency workers to cover those who might be on strike. Ministers have said that they are going to once again remove restrictions that stop businesses from supplying temporary staff to those who are currently on strike. The High Court have said that they are going to try and repeal the restrictions. The government has come out to say that they are going to launch a consultation and that they are going to try and remove the restrictions in due course.
The general secretary of the Trade Union Congress has come out to say that recruitment bodies have made it clear time and time again that they do not want their staff to be used as political pawns and that more has to be done to help those who are on strike. That being said, it looks like ministers are not listening here and something has to be done. Even though the plans seem irrational, one thing to take note of is that this is an act of a desperate government and that they are doing everything they can to distract from a somewhat appalling record.
Something has to change here because if it doesn’t then this is a strong indicator that things are going to keep on spiralling. At the end of the day, this just goes to show how much more has to be done to support the current nursing industry.