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Nurses ponder action on pay offer Nurses to be balloted over action
(about 3 hours later)
Nurse leaders are to discuss what industrial action they can take over "below inflation" pay rises. Nurses are to be balloted over whether they want a national vote on whether to take industrial action over pay.
The government offered nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland a 1.5% pay rise this month followed by further 1% rise in November. Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been offered a 1.5% pay rise followed by an extra 1% later.
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. The Royal College of Nursing ballot will ask NHS members whether they want to be balloted on what would be the first ever national industrial action.
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 are dedicated public servants who work hard and play by the rules Peter Carter, of the Royal College of Nursing
Nurses said the staged offer was insulting and asked the RCN to investigate what sort of industrial action they could take. The RCN met on Wednesday to discuss their options after an emergency motion passed unanimously at the RCN conference in April called on the government to implement a full 2.5% pay rise as recommended by the independent pay review body.
RCN General Secretary Peter Carter said: "Today's decision by council was not arrived at lightly, but there are only so many times nurses can be asked to accept the unacceptable.
"Nurses are dedicated public servants who work hard and play by the rules.
"So, when we end up in a situation where nurses are forced to talk about industrial action, then we know that they have been pushed to the limit.
"This is a ludicrous position to find ourselves in and I urge the government to meet with us immediately to resolve this situation."
The RCN said the pay award was the equivalent of a below inflation 1.9% pay rise and was saving the government £60m.
Patient carePatient 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. The government has said the pay offer was a sensible increase that was fair for NHS staff and affordable for the economy.
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 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.