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Nurses threaten action over pay Nurses ready for action over pay
(about 13 hours later)
Royal College of Nursing leaders are taking soundings over whether to ballot members on what would be the first ever national action over pay. Nurse leaders have threatened to take industrial action unless ministers make a U-turn on their "miserly" pay offer.
Ministers have offered nurses a 1.5% pay rise this month with another 1% to come in November. The government has offered nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland a 1.5% pay rise this month with another 1% to come in November.
Nurses will discuss the award in an emergency motion at the RCN annual conference in Harrogate on Tuesday. But nurses at the Royal College of Nursing annual conference said the government should agree a full 2.5% immediately - as in Scotland.
The government said it was a "sensible" offer which was fair for nurses and affordable for the economy. Ministers said the offer was fair for nurses and affordable for the economy.
Nurses are very angry Peter CarterGeneral secretary, Royal College of Nursing We should strike and get patients on board Linda HendersonRCN delegate
But the RCN said the move was the equivalent of a below-inflation 1.9% pay rise. If industrial action was taken it would be the first national action by nurses.
The motion will call on the government to implement a full 2.5% pay rise as recommended by the independent pay review body. The RCN said the move was the equivalent of a below inflation 1.9% pay rise and was saving the government £60m.
The RCN estimates the move is saving the government £60m. Emergency motion
Peter Carter, RCN general secretary, said despite a "shameful" pay offer nurses were still reluctant to take action and would certainly not strike. An emergency motion passed unanimously at the conference in Harrogate 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 they would be prepared to take industrial action if necessary.
Linda Henderson, from London, said: "I personally think we should strike and get patients on board."
Helen McDermott, a psychiatric nurse from Birmingham, said: "I don't know how long I can carry on doing nursing. Most of the time I am working extra to pay bills."
And David Harding-Price, from Nottingham, added: "No more rhetoric. Action, action, action."
Fair treatment
Ann Taylor-Griffiths, of the RCN's Welsh Board, said: "We are one nursing body, we one NHS and deserve one nationally implemented pay award."
What we have suggested is a sensible increase, that's fair for NHS staff and affordable for the economy Lord HuntHealth Minister
And Irene Lavey, from Edinburgh, where nurses have got the full 2.5%, said in reference to the large pay rises other health professionals have got: "If they can invest in GPs and consultants, they can invest in nurses."
Some even suggested the 2.5% was not enough. Douglas Lockhart, from Glasgow, said it was "absolutely rubbish".
"Lets take some sort of industrial action. This is totally unacceptable."
Nurses also voted to ask the RCN to investigate what form of industrial action they could actually take.
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 effectively rules out an all-out strike, but does allow nurses to refuse to work overtime and do paperwork NHS trusts use to demonstrate that they have met targets.
To date, the RCN has agreed to ballot its members on four occasions - all local issues - but the disagreements have been resolved before the ballots were sent out.To date, the RCN has agreed to ballot its members on four occasions - all local issues - but the disagreements have been resolved before the ballots were sent out.
Dilemma Meeting with ministers
Mr Carter said it was unlikely a decision would be taken this week, but the debate on the pay offer and soundings from the rest of the four-day gathering would inform any move. RCN leaders said they would seek to meet with ministers over the issue before taking a decision on whether to ballot members in May.
He said: "The possibility of an all out strike is not going to happen. RCN general secretary Peter Carter said the staged-offer was totally "unacceptable and miserly", but he did not want to proceed in a "ramshackle way".
"What we have to find are ways, a formula, to get the message home, but not damage the people we serve, the patients. Nurses are very angry." He said: "There is a real sense of injustice."
He said that could include refusing to work overtime - nurses on average work an extra six hours a week, mostly unpaid - or refusing to do paper work which NHS trusts use to demonstrate they are meeting government targets.
But he admitted nurses faced a "real dilemma" over taking action.
He added: "The government is trading off this, that really is blackmailing us."
Health Minister Lord Hunt said: "What we have suggested is a sensible increase, that's fair for NHS staff and affordable for the economy.Health Minister Lord Hunt said: "What we have suggested is a sensible increase, that's fair for NHS staff and affordable for the economy.
"In 1997, a basic grade nurse earned just over £12,000, today that figure is nearly £20,000.""In 1997, a basic grade nurse earned just over £12,000, today that figure is nearly £20,000."
Nurses have also expressed anger at the shake-up of hospital services being planned.
Ministers are encouraging NHS managers to draw up proposals to close key services such as A&E and maternity in some hospitals as part of the drive to push more care into the community.
But nurses warned it was being drive by money. Sheila Dunbar, a nurse from Bolton, said: "The community services are just not there. It means there will be poorer care for our patients."