Nurses Stand Firm: Rejecting 5.5% Pay Rise Amid Calls for Greater NHS Support and Reform

Nurses turn down government's 5.5% salary increase proposal

The nursing union states that there is "a significant change in the resolve of nursing personnel to advocate for themselves, their patients, and the NHS they are committed to," citing issues with staffing levels, substandard patient care, and opportunities for professional advancement.

Monday, September 23, 2024, 3:

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has announced that nurses have turned down the government's proposal for a 5.5% salary increase.

A significant majority, two-thirds, of RCN members in England have rejected this year’s pay offer, with an unprecedented 145,000 union members participating in the vote.

In a correspondence addressed to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Professor Nicola Ranger, the general secretary of the RCN, expressed: "We are observing a significant change in the resolve of nursing staff to advocate for themselves, their patients, and the NHS they are committed to.

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"Numerous individuals are likely to endorse the newly established government's policies on health and care that have been outlined recently, acknowledging the identified shortcomings of the NHS. Nurses, collaborating extensively with various professionals, are vital to the functioning of the service. The government will consider our ongoing backing of these reforms crucial for their effective implementation."

Professor Ranger stated: "In order to enhance quality and overhaul the NHS, it is crucial to have adequate staffing who also feel appreciated. Nursing personnel were questioned about whether, following over ten years of oversight, they believed the salary increase was an appropriate beginning.

"This result indicates that they hold the government to a much higher standard."

She mentioned that nurses are expressing concerns about being understaffed during shifts, substandard patient care, and being stuck in the lowest salary brackets in their field.

Following the announcement, Mr. Streeting stated that Labour recognizes the challenges nurses have faced recently and acknowledges the current difficulties they are experiencing.

"After many years, the government is finally supporting nurses," he declared, committing to collaborate with them "to navigate the NHS out of its deepest crisis ever" and "to restore its stability."

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Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy informed Sky News that for the first time in many years, Labour has provided public sector employees with a pay increase that adjusts for inflation.

She stated that they are worthy of it and that it benefits the economy because "every pound given to working individuals is spent in our local shops, boosting local economic growth."

In a statement, Shadow Health Secretary Victoria Atkins criticized the government, saying it should have anticipated the nurses' reaction after granting junior doctors a pay rise that exceeded inflation rates.

Ms. Atkins voiced her criticism towards both the chancellor and the health secretary, pointing out their failure to see how their immediate choices could lead to lasting impacts.

She continued, stating that within less than three months, government officials halted the construction of new hospitals, eliminated enhancements in NHS efficiency, witnessed general practitioners go on strike, became embroiled in a healthcare favoritism controversy, and have now initiated a conflict involving hundreds of thousands of nurses and midwives.

A strike isn't on the horizon, yet government officials must pay attention to the needs of nurses.

Health correspondent

It serves as a cautionary signal.

Healthcare workers are expressing dissatisfaction with their existing salary agreement and are urging the government for increased compensation.

However, they emphasize that they are not considering a vote on industrial action, and there are no upcoming ballots regarding strike action.

As of this moment

Employees have been dissatisfied with their wages for a while, and there have been ongoing discussions about potentially more strikes.

In December 2022, for the first time ever, members of the Royal College of Nursing in England participated in a strike.

The strike persisted until May 2023, when the mandate allowing the college's strike concluded.

In the same month, members of the NHS staff council agreed to a salary proposal offered by the government, although it was not approved by the members of the RCN.

The resolution to the prolonged conflict left a sour taste, as numerous people believed that the problem was still not settled.

The recent agreement on salaries for junior doctors by the new administration drew attention to the Royal College of Nursing. Thus, the developments that unfolded on Monday came as no surprise.

This time around, the nurses' union is emphasizing its desire for productive conversations with government officials.

Wes Streeting states that his administration is in favor of the nurses, marking a more optimistic beginning compared to previous occasions.

She encouraged Mr. Streeting to move beyond issuing press statements and clarify his strategies for negotiating with nurses, midwives, and other healthcare professionals. She cautioned that immediate action, rather than discussions about past issues, was essential, pointing out Labour's regular critiques of the Conservatives for their handling of the NHS.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the refusal of the proposed pay award for nurses at the end of July, following the Labour Party's victory in the general election.

The Royal College of Nursing reported that participation exceeded the numbers from two previous official votes for strikes conducted in 2022 and 2023, during which the initial vote authorized a half-year period of strikes by its members.

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Last week, junior doctors agreed to a multi-year salary increase, resolving their prolonged disagreement.

Other health union members have agreed to a 5.5% salary increase for the 2024/25 period.

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