New TUC leader says 'ball is in government's court' to put an end to strikes

Paul Nowak told ITV News that instead of 'talking up conflict' and 'escalating strikes' the government should get round the negotiating table with unions

The "ball is firmly in the government's court" to end public sector strikes, the new general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has said, as he warned ministers they "can't wish these problems away".

Paul Nowak told ITV News unions will not back down from strike action in their dispute over pay as he suggested further walk outs will be on the cards for 2023 if the government doesn't "listen" to its workforce.

Mr Nowak takes over the job amid the biggest wave of industrial unrest in a generation, with leaders of health, rail, civil service, teaching and postal unions increasingly angry at the lack of involvement from government ministers.

The new general secretary of the TUC accused the government of "sabotaging" efforts to resolve the strikes continuing to sweep across the country by "refusing" to negotiate pay with unions.

Mr Nowak told ITV News unions are willing to negotiate, but added: "There can't be movement unless there are talks and the government has refused to engage in meaningful pay talks with our unions... They can't wish these problems away.

"But in order to have those negotiations, government has to come to the table and that's what they are refusing to do. And I think that's an abdication of responsibility of Rishi Sunak, Jeremy Hunt and other members of the Cabinet."

As the stalemate over pay continues, so does the disruption, as ITV News Political Correspondent Tom Sheldrick explains

Mr Nowak added that "inflicting disruption" on the public is the "last thing" striking workers want to do "but they are saying enough is enough".

"Hundreds of thousand of public sector workers are sending a clear message to government - you are not listening to us, you are not taking our issues, our concerns seriously," he added.

"The ball is firmly in the government's court and it's time for them to come to the table and put a reasonable offer on pay."

"If the government doesn't come forward and negotiate, I think lots of public sector workers will draw the conclusion it isn't listening to them and they'll have to carry on their industrial action," he warned.

The government argues it has agreed to the recommendations made by independent pay review bodies and that double digit pay rises would push inflation up further.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace on Thursday said the government will not be “held to ransom” by striking public sector workers and insisted there is “no magic wand” to produce the money for above-inflation pay awards.

But Mr Nowak argued there is “absolutely no evidence at all that it’s the pay of nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists, firefighters or teachers that are driving inflation in this country".

"And if the government are serious about tackling inflation they should be serious about tackling excess profits, dividends for shareholders and bumper bonuses in the city of London,” he added.

He warned that workers were facing two decades of "lost pay" unless the country changes course and said the average nurse is now £4,000 a year worse off now than in 2008 - something he said was "unsustainable" and was driving the NHS staffing crisis.

The Conservatives’ decision to hold down public sector pay has left workers "hugely exposed to the cost-of-living crisis" and deepened the staffing crisis in the NHS, education and other public services, he earlier said.

Speaking during a visit to Manchester Airport where military personnel are covering for striking Border Force staff, the defence secretary rejected the call by Mr Nowak for ministers to get round the negotiating table.

He said the government is not prepared to ignore the pay review bodies’ recommendations and that it is now up to the unions to talk to their employers directly.

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“We’re not going back to the 1970s where the trade union barons thought that they ran the government,” he said.

“They used to meet in Downing Street and tell the Labour government of the day what they’re going to do. We’re not going to go back to that. We’re not going to be held to ransom.

“The trade unions can negotiate, they can negotiate with their employers and try and come to a resolution. That’s the most important thing. There’s no magic wand here to come up with money that the country doesn’t have.

“Ultimately we’re in a position where we’re trying to listen to the independent advice, through the independent pay bodies, offer a settlement to the workforces, and then try and bring that to a resolution, but if the trade union leadership think we’re all just going to ignore these independent bodies to suit their agenda then they’ll be mistaken.”

Mr Nowak's comments came as Border Force staff continued strikes on Thursday, as well as driving examiners and some rail workers as the year comes to an end.

Further industrial action is due in January by a number of unions, including nurses, ambulance staff and rail workers, while others, including firefighters, are currently balloting their members.

Mr Nowak said it makes sense to consider more coordinated walk outs between different sectors and unions in the new year - but said nothing has yet been confirmed.

To mark his appointment, the TUC published new analysis, which it said showed that workers are enduring the longest real wage squeeze in modern history.

Workers have lost £20,000, on average, in real wages since 2008 as a result of pay not keeping up with inflation, and by 2025 the loss will total £24,000, according to the analysis.

Nurses have lost £42,000 in real earnings since 2008, midwives £56,000 and paramedics £56,000, with workers facing another year of "pay misery", said the TUC.