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| RCN nurses to strike on May bank holiday in England as pay offer rejected | RCN nurses to strike on May bank holiday in England as pay offer rejected |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Nurses in the Royal College of Nursing union have rejected the government's pay offer in England and will now go on strike over the first May bank holiday. | Nurses in the Royal College of Nursing union have rejected the government's pay offer in England and will now go on strike over the first May bank holiday. |
| The 48-hour walkout from 20:00 BST on 30 April to 20:00 on 2 May will involve NHS nurses in emergency departments, intensive care, cancer and other wards. | The 48-hour walkout from 20:00 BST on 30 April to 20:00 on 2 May will involve NHS nurses in emergency departments, intensive care, cancer and other wards. |
| This will be "hugely concerning" for patients, the government says. | This will be "hugely concerning" for patients, the government says. |
| Members of the Unison union - which includes some nurses and ambulance crews - have accepted the pay offer. | Members of the Unison union - which includes some nurses and ambulance crews - have accepted the pay offer. |
| The award on the table is a 5% pay rise for 2023-24. | The award on the table is a 5% pay rise for 2023-24. |
| And there is an extra one-off lump sum of at least £1,655 to top up the past year's salary. | And there is an extra one-off lump sum of at least £1,655 to top up the past year's salary. |
| Meanwhile, NHS junior doctors in England are currently staging a four-day walkout over pay, ending at 07:00 on Saturday. | Meanwhile, NHS junior doctors in England are currently staging a four-day walkout over pay, ending at 07:00 on Saturday. |
| For the first time, the RCN says this new strike will mean some critical care services, such as intensive care, will not be staffed on strike days - something which did not happen in previous strikes. | For the first time, the RCN says this new strike will mean some critical care services, such as intensive care, will not be staffed on strike days - something which did not happen in previous strikes. |
| The government said that amounted to an escalation in strike action, "based on a vote from the minority of the nursing workforce". | The government said that amounted to an escalation in strike action, "based on a vote from the minority of the nursing workforce". |
| Healthcare bosses say further strikes would have an impact on reducing already lengthy waiting lists for treatment, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised to reduce. | Healthcare bosses say further strikes would have an impact on reducing already lengthy waiting lists for treatment, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised to reduce. |
| The result of the RCN vote on pay was close - 54% voted to reject the offer, while 46% voted to accept it. | |
| The Unison vote, however, was overwhelmingly in favour of the deal. | The Unison vote, however, was overwhelmingly in favour of the deal. |
| 'Expect a historic pay award' | 'Expect a historic pay award' |
| Pat Cullen, RCN general secretary and chief executive, said: "What has been offered to date is simply not enough." | Pat Cullen, RCN general secretary and chief executive, said: "What has been offered to date is simply not enough." |
| In the letter to Health Secretary Steve Barclay, she said the government "needs to increase what has already been offered and we will be highly critical of any move to reduce it". | In the letter to Health Secretary Steve Barclay, she said the government "needs to increase what has already been offered and we will be highly critical of any move to reduce it". |
| Until there was a significantly improved offer, RCN nurses were forced back to the picket line, she said. | Until there was a significantly improved offer, RCN nurses were forced back to the picket line, she said. |
| "After a historic vote to strike, our members expect a historic pay award," Ms Cullen said. | "After a historic vote to strike, our members expect a historic pay award," Ms Cullen said. |
| Sara Gorton from Unison, whose members voted for the pay offer, said: "Clearly health workers would have wanted more, but this was the best that could be achieved through negotiation. | Sara Gorton from Unison, whose members voted for the pay offer, said: "Clearly health workers would have wanted more, but this was the best that could be achieved through negotiation. |
| "Over the past few weeks, health workers have weighed up what's on offer. They've opted for the certainty of getting the extra cash in their pockets soon." | "Over the past few weeks, health workers have weighed up what's on offer. They've opted for the certainty of getting the extra cash in their pockets soon." |
| A government spokesperson said the Unison decision "demonstrates that it is a fair and reasonable proposal that can bring this dispute to an end". | A government spokesperson said the Unison decision "demonstrates that it is a fair and reasonable proposal that can bring this dispute to an end". |
| But it said it was "hugely disappointing" that the RCN had rejected the pay deal recommended by their leadership. | But it said it was "hugely disappointing" that the RCN had rejected the pay deal recommended by their leadership. |
| Hundreds of thousands of NHS staff from other unions are still voting on the same pay deal over the next two weeks. | Hundreds of thousands of NHS staff from other unions are still voting on the same pay deal over the next two weeks. |
| 'It's just not enough to help' | 'It's just not enough to help' |
| A nurse, Harry, voted against the pay offer | A nurse, Harry, voted against the pay offer |
| Harry Eccles, a clinical nurse specialist on the south coast of England, voted against that offer and said he was glad that other nurses did too. | Harry Eccles, a clinical nurse specialist on the south coast of England, voted against that offer and said he was glad that other nurses did too. |
| "I'm really glad that nurses have found their voice, and they're using their voice to fight for our patients and patient safety and fight for the NHS," he said. | "I'm really glad that nurses have found their voice, and they're using their voice to fight for our patients and patient safety and fight for the NHS," he said. |
| But Harry said the one-off sum offered by the government for 2022-23 was "going to pay off a few bills, and then we're going to be in the same predicament". | But Harry said the one-off sum offered by the government for 2022-23 was "going to pay off a few bills, and then we're going to be in the same predicament". |
| And he was not impressed by the 5% pay increase for this year either, which he points out is still way below inflation. | And he was not impressed by the 5% pay increase for this year either, which he points out is still way below inflation. |
| "So my BT bill went up 14.4%, food is going up. It's just not enough to help, it's only making things worse," he said. | "So my BT bill went up 14.4%, food is going up. It's just not enough to help, it's only making things worse," he said. |
| Strike action is a last resort, he added. | Strike action is a last resort, he added. |
| "The government is refusing to listen, to give us the respect and the time, and to even recognise that without staff there is no NHS." | "The government is refusing to listen, to give us the respect and the time, and to even recognise that without staff there is no NHS." |
| What is happening across the UK? | What is happening across the UK? |
| Nurses began strikes in December in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the largest action of its kind in NHS history. | Nurses began strikes in December in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the largest action of its kind in NHS history. |
| Health unions in Wales and Northern Ireland are still in negotiations with their governments over pay. | Health unions in Wales and Northern Ireland are still in negotiations with their governments over pay. |
| There has been no industrial action by nurses in Scotland after they accepted a pay offer from the Scottish government that will mean a 6.5% increase from this month, on top of a 7.5% rise for 2022-23. | There has been no industrial action by nurses in Scotland after they accepted a pay offer from the Scottish government that will mean a 6.5% increase from this month, on top of a 7.5% rise for 2022-23. |
| The government announced a pay offer for nurses in England on 16 March. | The government announced a pay offer for nurses in England on 16 March. |
| Other strikes involving school teachers, railway workers and passport office workers have also taken place across the UK in recent months. | Other strikes involving school teachers, railway workers and passport office workers have also taken place across the UK in recent months. |
| The RCN says it will now reballot its members in England to see if they want to continue taking industrial action after the strike in early May. | The RCN says it will now reballot its members in England to see if they want to continue taking industrial action after the strike in early May. |
| Unite and the GMB will announce the result of their ballots on the same pay deal in two weeks' time. | Unite and the GMB will announce the result of their ballots on the same pay deal in two weeks' time. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Doctors | Doctors |
| Nursing | Nursing |
| NHS England | NHS England |
| NHS | NHS |
| Royal College of Nursing | Royal College of Nursing |
| Strike action | Strike action |
| Unison | Unison |