Court may need to decide if nurses' strike is legal

Court may need to decide if nurses' strike is legal The leader of Royal College of Nursing has said the health secretary's legal action against the nursing union's strike is "cruel" and "unacceptable".

Pat Cullen told the BBC members believe the government is punishing nurses for rejecting the government's pay offer.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay is to challenge whether the RCN has a mandate for its 48-hour walkout on 30 April.

Ms Cullen said that if the court found against the union, it would "never do anything illegal". BBC News

See also:

• RCN responds to NHS Employers statement on a legal challenge to the next nursing strike Royal College of Nursing
• RCN responds to government 'letter before action' and threat of interim court order to stop entire 48-hour nurse strike Royal College of Nursing
• NHS urges Steve Barclay to intervene in legal row over nurses' strike The Daily Mail
• RCN strike presents serious risk to NHS treatment The Daily Telegraph
• RCN chief: legal action over nurses’ strikes is ‘blatant threat’ The Guardian
• Health Secretary gives nurses' union until midday to call off upcoming strikes ITV News
• Health Secretary Steve Barclay to pursue legal action to stop nurses' strike Sky News
• Nurses strikes: Union boss says members are being 'treated as criminals' Sky News