11,000 nurses in letter protest

23 April 2007

More than 11,000 RCN members have written to MPs in protest at the staged pay award announced last month.

In recent weeks, 11,034 nurses have taken part in the RCN campaign which calls on the government to reverse the decision to stage the pay award and abide by the recommendation of the independent pay review body.

The review body has recommended an award of 2.5 per cent in full from the start of the new financial year.

Instead, nurses have been told they will receive an award of 1.5 per cent in April followed by 1 per cent in November. While on paper this may add up to 2.5 per cent, in real terms the award is only worth 1.9 per cent.

With RPI inflation now running at 4.8 per cent (March 2007), the award adds up to a pay cut of 2.9 per cent. For the typical registered nurse earning £24,841, this below inflation award equates to a loss of £720 a year. More information on this is available on the website: www.statistics.gov.uk

To write to your MP today, go to the online form hosted by Advocacy Online.