UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday urged unions to call off strike action, warning the government will no longer negotiate on higher salaries.
The government said it had accepted recommendations from independent pay review bodies for salary increases of between 5.0 and 7.0 percent in the public sector.
“Today’s offer is final. There will be no more talks on pay. We will not negotiate again on this year’s settlement,” Sunak told a news conference.
“No amount of strikes will change our decision.”
The announcement comes as hospital doctors below consultant level in England began a five-day strike over pay, and consultants prepared to walk out next week.
Britain has been hit by a wave of strikes in the last year, as soaring inflation increased the cost of living for millions across the country.
Sunak said all major teaching unions have accepted proposals for a 6.5-percent increase and suspended planned industrial action.
He urged others in different public sectors to “do the right thing” and follow suit.
The UK leader has made a promise to halve stubbornly high inflation, which is currently nudging 9.0 percent.
But he said the pay increases would not be met by more government borrowing, as that would put more pressure on inflation.
“It would not be right to increase taxes on everyone to pay some people more, particularly when household budgets are so tight,” he told reporters.
In parliament, Treasury minister John Glen said armed forces personnel would get a 5.0-percent increase, junior doctors will get 6.0 percent, and police and prison officers 7.0 percent.
“Our decision is responsible because, unlike some unsustainable demands, we have delivered awards that don’t further fuel inflation and make the inflationary environment worse,” he told MPs.
Government department efficiencies and an increase in how much migrants pay to use the state-funded National Health Service would help to the pay rises, he added.
Work and other visas would also increase, he said.
