Pensions: Fair deal for the frontline

This item supports ‘All set for action’ on page 1 of RCN Bulletin issue 284, published on 19 October 2011.

The RCN is pushing ahead with planning activity to support a day of protest as part of the ongoing fight to protect public sector pensions. A new logo has been created and branded materials are being produced to enable the RCN to get noticed and be visual among other unions involved in the Day of Action on 30 November.

Although the RCN’s governing Council decided not to ballot members on industrial action just yet, this will be inevitable if pension negotiations do not deliver a fair deal for nursing staff. Talks are due to end later this month.

Commenting after a meeting between the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, and NHS trade unions last week, RCN Director of Nursing and Service Delivery Janet Davies said: "The RCN has spelt out the anger that nurses up and down the country are feeling at the proposed pension changes. We made it very clear that their pensions have already been reformed and are far from generous, and that targeting them now is both unjust and unnecessary."

She added: "We will continue to engage in dialogue with the Government but are disappointed by their inflexible approach so far and as previously stated, a ballot on industrial action is inevitable unless negotiations deliver a fair deal for the frontline."

Get involved and find out more

• Sign up to show your interest in taking part in activity.
• Read the RCN’s briefing for members about the Day of Action (PDF 624KB) [how to access PDF files].  
• Find out more about Council’s decision to ballot if talks fail to deliver a fair deal.
• See guidance on the position of RCN members when other unions are taking industrial action.
• Go to the RCN’s pension pages to get the back story of how things got to this stage.