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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Nurses ready for action over pay | Nurses ready for action over pay |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Nurse leaders have threatened to take industrial action unless ministers make a U-turn on their "miserly" pay offer. | Nurse leaders have threatened to take industrial action unless ministers make a U-turn on their "miserly" pay offer. |
| 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. | 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. |
| But nurses at the Royal College of Nursing annual conference said the government should agree a full 2.5% immediately - as in Scotland. | But nurses at the Royal College of Nursing annual conference said the government should agree a full 2.5% immediately - as in Scotland. |
| Ministers said the offer was fair for nurses and affordable for the economy. | Ministers said the offer was fair for nurses and affordable for the economy. |
| We should strike and get patients on board Linda HendersonRCN delegate | We should strike and get patients on board Linda HendersonRCN delegate |
| If industrial action was taken it would be the first on a national scale by nurses. | |
| The RCN said the move was the equivalent of a below inflation 1.9% pay rise and was saving the government £60m. | The RCN said the move was the equivalent of a below inflation 1.9% pay rise and was saving the government £60m. |
| Emergency motion | Emergency motion |
| 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. | 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 - such as sticking to contracted working hours - if necessary. | |
| Linda Henderson, from London, said: "I personally think we should strike and get patients on board." | 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." | 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." | And David Harding-Price, from Nottingham, added: "No more rhetoric. Action, action, action." |
| Fair treatment | 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." | 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 | 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." | 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". | 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." | "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. | 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. | 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. |
| Meeting with ministers | Meeting with ministers |
| RCN leaders said they would seek to meet with ministers over the issue before taking a decision on whether to ballot members in May. | RCN leaders said they would seek to meet with ministers over the issue before taking a decision on whether to ballot members in May. |
| 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". | 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". |
| He said: "There is a real sense of injustice." | He said: "There is a real sense of injustice." |
| 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. | 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. | 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." | 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." |
| In a consultative ballot virtually all those who took part rejected the decision to stage the rise, and 90% backed industrial action, with 75% in favour of a strike. |