28E Let's start the debate now
Resolution submitted by the RCN Lothian Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress fully supports Council's decision to recommend the proposed three year pay deal and engage the membership in consultation
Work led by the RCN Membership Representation and Diversity Committee
This resolution sought views on the RCN's proposed formal consultation on the NHS multi-year pay deal
Delegates supporting the three year deal and Council's decision to recommend it in the consultation made the following points:
- the deal was the best in the public sector
- the facilities agreement which was part of the deal was significant
- financial reality meant negotiating more was just not possible
- if members rejected the deal the public would be unlikely to comprehend such a view given how good the deal was
- rejection was not an option
- the deal was not just about better pay but contained important non pay elements such as the facilities agreement and health and well-being statement.
A small minority argued that the deal did not address inflation and that the RCN owed its members a duty of care not to recommend or accept the deal.
The proposed consultation was approved by Congress and was conducted via the organisation's network of boards and branches, and ran from Friday 18 April 2008 to Wednesday 28 May 2008. Members were able to participate in the consultation as individuals or through their local branch.
Responses from branches were weighted to reflect the membership of each branch. Taking this weighting into consideration the responses represented 117,403 members involved in the consultation, either directly by registering a view on-line or through the representative democratic structures of RCN branches. The results represent 107,212 (91.32%) members in favour of acceptance, with 10,191 (8.68%) against.
Council supported a recommendation from the RCN Membership Representation and Diversity Committee to accept the deal.