Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have voted to take strike action in what is being called a fight for fair pay and safe staffing. Many of the biggest hospitals in England will see strike action, although others narrowly missed the legal turnout thresholds to qualify for action. All NHS employers in Northern Ireland and Scotland will be included and all bar one of the health boards in Wales met the relevant legal thresholds.
RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive Pat Cullen says: “This is a defining moment in our history, and our fight will continue through strike action and beyond for as long as it takes to win justice for the nursing profession and our patients.
“Anger has become action - our members are saying enough is enough. The voice of nursing in the UK is strong and I will make sure it is heard. Our members will no longer tolerate a financial knife-edge at home and a raw deal at work.
“Ministers must look in the mirror and ask how long they will put nursing staff through this. While we plan our strike action, next week’s budget is the UK government’s opportunity to signal a new direction with serious investment. Across the country, politicians have the power to stop this now and at any point.
“This action will be as much for patients as it is for nurses. Standards are falling too low and we have strong public backing for our campaign to raise them. This winter, we are asking the public to show nursing staff you are with us.”
The RCN is campaigning for a pay rise of 5% above RPI inflation. Health & Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay has described the results of the ballot as “disappointing.” He said he was “hugely grateful” for the hard work and dedication of all NHS staff, including nurses, but that the union demand for a 17.6% pay settlement was far in excess of what people outside the public sector would receive and is neither “reasonable” or “affordable.”
He added: “Regrettably, this action will mean some patients will have their treatment delayed. My priority is to keep patients safe during any strikes, minimise disruption and ensure emergency services continue to operate.”
Responding to the news, Interim Chief Executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said that Trust leaders have been planning for possible strikes and that their priorities will be the safe delivery of care and services for patients, as well as supporting the wellbeing of staff.
"We need to see the detail of what any action might look like but Trust leaders will do all they can to minimise disruption for patients.
"We understand just how strongly nurses feel and why they've got to this point: below-inflation pay awards amid the rising cost of living, severe staff shortages and ever-increasing workloads. The context of a very challenging period due to the COVID-19 pandemic also can't be understated.
"The government needs to sit down with union leaders to find an agreed solution as soon as possible. Prolonged action is something everyone wants to avoid."
Industrial action is expected to begin before the end of this year, with more detailed plans and timelines to be announced shortly.
