The government is facing a furious backlash after calling for NHS staff in England to be restricted to a pay rise of just 1%. <br /> <br />Ministers defended the proposal at a time when the economy was under "huge pressure" as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. <br /> <br />But health service unions said the proposed award as a "kick in the teeth" for staff who had given "absolutely everything" over the past year to keep the public safe. <br /> <br />The Royal College of Nursing, the UK’s largest nursing union, is to set up a £35 million industrial action fund in response to the government’s proposal. Report by Avagninag. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
