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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Nurses ponder action on pay offer | Nurses ponder action on pay offer |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Nurse leaders are to discuss what industrial action they can take over "below inflation" pay rises. | Nurse leaders are to discuss what industrial action they can take over "below inflation" pay rises. |
| The government offered nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland a 1.5% pay rise this month followed by further 1% rise in November. | The government offered nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland a 1.5% pay rise this month followed by further 1% rise in November. |
| The government says this is fair and affordable but nurses want the 2.5% immediately - as happened in Scotland. | The government says this is fair and affordable but nurses want the 2.5% immediately - as happened in Scotland. |
| Any industrial action taken by the Royal College of Nursing would be the first on a national scale by nurses. | Any industrial action taken by the Royal College of Nursing would be the first on a national scale by nurses. |
| An emergency motion passed unanimously at the RCN conference in Harrogate in April called on the government to implement a full 2.5% pay rise as recommended by the independent pay review body. | An emergency motion passed unanimously at the RCN conference in Harrogate in April called on the government to implement a full 2.5% pay rise as recommended by the independent pay review body. |
| Nurses said the staged offer was insulting and asked the RCN to investigate what sort of industrial action they could take. | |
| Patient care | Patient care |
| Historically nurses have not been allowed to take industrial action but a rule change in the mid-1990s permitted measures which do not harm patient care. | Historically nurses have not been allowed to take industrial action but a rule change in the mid-1990s permitted measures which do not harm patient care. |
| This means an all-out strike would be highly unlikely but it does allow nurses to take other steps such as refusing to do overtime. | This means an all-out strike would be highly unlikely but it does allow nurses to take other steps such as refusing to do overtime. |
| Another option would be to refuse to fill in paperwork which enables NHS trusts to show they have met their targets. | Another option would be to refuse to fill in paperwork which enables NHS trusts to show they have met their targets. |
| RCN committee members are meeting today to decide what action they should ballot members on and to take legal advice. | RCN committee members are meeting today to decide what action they should ballot members on and to take legal advice. |
| They will also consider how a ballot would be held since nurses are employed by many different organisations. | They will also consider how a ballot would be held since nurses are employed by many different organisations. |
| The RCN has said the pay award was the equivalent of a below inflation 1.9% pay rise and was saving the government £60m. | The RCN has said the pay award was the equivalent of a below inflation 1.9% pay rise and was saving the government £60m. |
| The government said the pay offer was a sensible increase that was fair for NHS staff and affordable for the economy. | The government said the pay offer was a sensible increase that was fair for NHS staff and affordable for the economy. |
| Average pay has increased from £12,000 for a basic grade nurse in 1997 to £20,000 today. | Average pay has increased from £12,000 for a basic grade nurse in 1997 to £20,000 today. |