UK health minister says will not negotiate on pay with nurses' union

FILE PHOTO-British Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Steve Barclay reacts outside Downing Street he attends the British cabinet's weekly meeting, in London, Britain February 21, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's health minister, Steve Barclay, said on Sunday that the government would not negotiate on pay with the nurses' union, as the threat of further strikes looms.

The government's offer, which includes a one-off payment equivalent to 2% of salaries in the 2022/23 financial year and a 5% pay rise for 2023/24, was rejected by the members of the Royal College of Nursing in April.