Hundreds of thousands of NHS nurses in England and Wales are to vote on whether to strike over pay.
The Royal College of Nursing will ballot members on NHS “agenda for change” contracts for industrial action in a vote that will run from 15 September to 13 October.
Agenda for change is the main pay structure for NHS staff, except doctors, dentists and senior managers.
The RCN said that if members voted in favour of industrial action, it would be the first strike in England and Wales in the union’s history, and claimed that the latest pay offer would leave experienced nurses more than £1,000 worse off in real terms.
Last month the government announced a pay rise of at least £1,400 for all NHS staff including nurses and paramedics. The pay award will be enhanced for band 6 and 7 nurses, so their pay award will amount to 4%.
NHS workforce crisis
NHS workforce faces ‘greatest crisis in history’
This is well below inflation, which at the consumer prices index measure rose by 9.4% in the 12 months to June 2022. This is expected to rise to high as 13% in the autumn according to forecasts last week by the Bank of England.
Nurses in Northern Ireland are still waiting for their pay offer to be announced, while nurses in Scotland were recently offered a 5% pay rise, which the RCN has urged them to reject.
The RCN said industrial action would be a last resort, but the current NHS staffing crisis was causing “unacceptable” risk to patients and staff.
General secretary Pat Cullen said: “Nursing staff will stop at nothing to protect their patients. Staff shortages are putting patient safety at risk and the government’s failure to listen has left us with no choice but to advocate for strike action.
“A lifetime of service must never mean a lifetime of poverty. Ministers’ refusal to recognise the skill and responsibility of the job is pushing people out of the profession. The next prime minister must change course urgently.”
Carol Popplestone, chair of RCN Council, said: “After years of underpayment and staff shortages, the fight for fair pay must strengthen. Your vote in the upcoming ballot will be essential to turning the tide on low pay.
“This year’s pay award does not help you with the rising cost of living. It will do nothing to help to recruit or retain more nursing staff where you work and will not keep patients safe.”
Health and social care secretary Steve Barclay said last month that “very high inflation-driven settlements would have a worse impact on pay packets in the long run than proportionate and balanced increases now”.
The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents doctors, said it supported the RCN’s intentions to ballot members.
“Along with other frontline healthcare workers, nurses have borne the brunt of an understaffed and under-resourced health service, where despite their best efforts and working at their absolute limits, healthcare staff are too often unable to provide patients with the safe care they need,” said Professor Philip Banfield, BMA Council chair.
“As the RCN themselves say, industrial action is a last resort for healthcare workers, and therefore this ballot is a clear warning to the government that staff have had enough of not being listened to or valued. Doctors will offer their support and their solidarity to nursing colleagues who feel this is their only option to get this government to focus on the serious investment the NHS and its workforce so desperately need.”
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Last week the BMA said industrial action would be inevitable if the government does not increase junior doctors’ pay in line with other NHS staff. Junior doctors are entitled to a 2% annual pay rise as part of a four-year deal, but other doctors and dentists are getting 4.5%.
HR opportunities in Healthcare on Personnel Today
Browse more HR opportunities in healthcare
