UK nurses commence strike over poor pay .

Nurses from all across the United Kingdom on Thursday embarked on the biggest-ever countrywide strike in the history of the National Health Services (NHS).

According to The Economic Times, tens of thousands of nurses in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland commenced the historic strike at 8 am.

The demonstration was hinged on the failure of the Tory administration and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to reach a salary agreement

The RCN demanded a 19 per cent salary increase, which the UK government deemed unaffordable.

The general secretary of the RCN, Pat Cullen urged the government to “do the decent thing” and settle the conflict before the year is over.

“We need to stand up for our health service, we need to find a way of addressing those over seven million people that are sitting on waiting lists, and how are we going to do that? By making sure we have got the nurses to look after our patients, not with 50,000 vacant posts, and with it increasing day by day,” Cullen said.

As many as 51 out of 219 hospitals, mental health trusts, and community services in England are participating in the first wave of strikes.

All of the health boards in Northern Ireland are now experiencing strikes, as are all except one in Wales, the Aneurin Bevan.