Nurses prepared to take industrial action over pay

Royal College Of Nursing members voted strongly to reject the three-year pay deal offered to them by the States.

The deal would have seen a 5% uplift, plus a payment of £500 to all nurses this year, as well as RPIX increases in coming years.

In a ballot, the majority of the 65.2% of members who voted said they rejected the offer. In a second question asking if they would be prepared to undertake industrial action and/or action short of strike, members also voted to say yes.

RCN operational manager Sarah Johnston said that seeing such a strong turnout on the ballot was an indication as to how strongly members felt about pay.

‘The underlying issue on pay has simply been ignored by the States,’ she said.

‘Yes, members have had recent pay rises but the gap between their pay and that of their civil service peers remains. The final year below inflation rise was seen as a slap in the face by many. We really hope that the States do not ignore us again. We want to talk with them, we want to discuss nursing pay in a constructive manner.’

During the consultation period the question of pay parity – equal pay for work of equal value – was again raised, with members saying that the offer went nowhere near addressing the issues and many members feeling nurses were not getting a fair deal.

The ballot closed on 13 September.

The offer was for an uplift of 5%, plus a payment of £500 to be added to all pay scales. The £500 would be consolidated into basic pay.

In 2023 there would be an uplift of RPIX, as at 30 June 2022. Then in 2024 an uplift of RPIX as at 30 June 2023, minus 1%.

Policy & Resources confirmed it had only been recently notified of the ballot result and would now be giving the matter consideration.

‘At this current time we are respecting the national period of mourning, but we will comment further next week after that period has ended.’