UK health workers and the government reached an agreement on the salary issue, as the newspaper ‘I’ reported today — a significant development after months of strikes in the National Health System (NHS).

The newspaper said the deal would end months of strikes between nurses and ambulance workers. It was not immediately clear whether any deal covered other NHS workers such as trainee doctors and midwives, who had also gone on strike.

The news follows upbeat statements from Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt earlier today.

The proposal includes a lump sum for the current financial year and a revised salary offer for 2023-24, according to the publication. A tentative agreement is expected to be announced later today, according to the same source.

Any proposal would again have to be put to a vote among members of unions representing workers in the health sector, which has come under pressure from strikes by nurses, doctors and ambulance workers demanding higher wages to cope with rising wages. inflation.

In February, nurses in England called off strike action to begin intensive talks with the government, while unions representing ambulance workers also suspended planned strikes after agreeing to a new round of negotiations.

The health ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment, while unions representing workers in different sectors of the national health system did not confirm the deal.

Ahead of reports of a deal, Unite said it expected major moves today. Trade union Unison, contacted for the report, said talks were continuing.

Hunt, whose government budget presentation yesterday coincided with strike action by half a million Britons, appeared upbeat earlier today when asked if a deal with NHS staff was imminent. “I hope so … we have had very productive discussions with the unions so I hope for the best,” he told the BBC.