Nurses vote to strike in first ever nationwide action over pay

NHS nurses have voted to strike in the first ever nationwide action (Image: GETTY)NHS nurses throughout the UK have voted to strike in the first ever nationwide action in a row over pay and staff shortages. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) urged more than 300,000 members to vote for strike action in the union’s biggest strike ballot. This nationwide strike will be the first of its kind in the union’s 106-year history and could take place over the coming weeks and possibly throughout Christmas.In England, 130 NHS Trusts have chosen to strike, with 12 in Wales, 23 in Scotland and 11 in Northern Ireland.Several of England’s biggest hospitals will be impacted by RCN members but others narrowly missed the legal turnout thresholds to qualify for action. All NHS nurses in Northern Ireland and Scotland will be included and all except one in Wales met the required legal thresholds.Guys and St Thomas’ in Westminster, London will be one of many that appears in the list as well as some of the UK’s other leading hospitals, including the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, University Hospital Wales in Cardiff and Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.The RCN’s mandate to organise strikes runs until early May 2023 – six months after members finished voting.It is disappointing some RCN members voted for industrial action.We accepted the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body in full and have given over one million NHS workers a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year on top of a 3% rise last year.- Steve Barclay (@SteveBarclay) November 9, 2022 The postal ballot took place from October 6 until November 2 and began after NHS Agenda for Change pay announcements earlier this year, which the RCN said “left experienced nurses 20 percent worse off in real terms compared to a decade ago”.The union is campaigning for a pay rise of five percent above RPU inflation “to overcome those real-terms pay cuts, support nursing staff through the cost-of-living crisis and recognise their safety critical skills”.RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen said: “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.”Sara Gorton, head of health at Unison, which is currently balloting its members in the NHS for strikes, said: “This is loud a wake-up call to the Government.”Hundreds of thousands more nurses, paramedics, cleaners, health care assistants and other NHS employees are still to decide if they’ll be striking for better pay and staffing. Now is the time for swift action to avoid a damaging dispute.”A strike across the NHS this winter isn’t inevitable. Unions want to work with ministers to solve the NHS staffing crisis and its impact on patient care but that must start with another pay rise for health workers. Otherwise, delays and waits for patients won’t reduce.”A second wage increase in line with rising prices would ensure staff can provide for their families. It would also stop experienced employees leaving so the NHS can keep caring for patients.”Inflation has already wiped out this year’s 72p-an-hour increase. Threats of wage caps next year to make good the damage caused by the previous government’s economic incompetence will only make a bad situation significantly worse.”NHS managers are fighting a losing battle. They know pay and the lack of staff are the main reasons why health workers are leaving at alarming rates.”The NHS cannot keep patients safe without improving staffing levels. Boosting pay is a crucial first step in dealing with the NHS workforce crisis.Health Secretary Steve Barclay reacted to the news nurses have voted to strike, by tweeting: “It is disappointing some RCN members voted for industrial action.”We accepted the recommendations of the independent NHS Pay Review Body in full and have given over one million NHS workers a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year on top of a three percent rise last year. I’m hugely grateful for the hard work and dedication of NHS staff, including nurses.”That’s why supporting the NHS and social care workforce to care for patients is one of my priorities, and we have already recruited 30,000 of the 50,000 more nurses we promised by 2024.”But union demands for a 17.6 percent pay settlement are around three times what millions of people outside the public sector will typically receive and simply aren’t reasonable or affordable.”Labour have also refused to back this. 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.”THIS IS A BREAKING STORY. MORE TO FOLLOW…