28E. One family, one union, one voice, no imposition

Resolution submitted by the RCN National Stewards Committee

Following the minister offering job protection for some staff in return for a freeze in increments, Congress urges Council to ballot the membership for industrial action in the event of any imposition of an incremental pay freeze or any other proposals reducing the value of any part of our nationally agreed terms and conditions.

Result:

For         438     96.90 % Passed
Against 14       3.10 %
Abstain   8

Progress reports

Submitted by: UK Stewards Committee
Council lead and committee assigned: Tracey Budding (until October 2011) and Lorrae Allford (from October 2011), Membership and Representation Committee
Committee decision: New work
Members involved: Lisa Falconer, Chair of the UK Stewards Committee (to April 2012) and Lothian Branch

Final summary update at May 2012

Following Congress 2011, a number of issues arose which highlighted the potential for industrial action, including pay freezes, pension proposals and other changes to pay and conditions.

The RCN supported the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Day of Action in November 2011 to protest against proposals to change public sector pension schemes, and members were involved in a range of activity.

At the end of 2011, the Government set out its “final offer” on NHS pensions which built in some protection for those within 12.5 years of retirement and an improved accrual rate.

At the start of 2012, the RCN asked its members to vote on whether the RCN should accept the Government’s proposals. The turn-out for this ballot was 16.17% with 62.36% of those who voted stating that they wished to reject the proposals.

Throughout the ballot process, it became clear that the pressure on members is great: not just concerning the pensions issue, but also the prospect of a massive NHS reorganisation, the threat of redundancy, a pay freeze and deteriorating staffing levels.

It was also very clear that the number one concern around the pensions proposals was the proposed increase in the retirement age. The RCN remains committed to campaigning on this issue.

Update at November 2011

Following Congress, the RCN Executive Team has considered possible scenarios of industrial action in the public sector, including both localised action and wider scale action across the NHS which will potentially involve RCN members. The Executive Team has also discussed options for responses by the RCN.

The Executive Team has agreed to set up a group, chaired by an Executive Director, to consider operational and strategic issues around potential industrial action, both that taken by other trade unions and any calls for industrial action from RCN members. In particular, the group will look at governance and legal arrangements, membership records, what action might be consistent with Standing Order 3 (The RCN’s constitutional position on industrial action) as well as an associated communication strategy for all eventualities. This group will meet on a regular basis over the next six months, and will be supported by the Employment Relations Department.

Following the 2011 TUC Congress in September a number of unions announced that they would be balloting their members on industrial action in the public sector in protest against proposals to change public sector pension schemes. Where industrial action was not possible or agreed by a trade union, they were involved in a ‘day of action’ on 30 November 2011 that included demonstrations, lobbying and any other action short of industrial action. This was in addition to strike action by those unions which voted in favour.

A special meeting of RCN Council took place on 30 September 2011 to consider the situation regarding ongoing negotiations on pensions against a backdrop of public sector unions announcing an intention to ballot for industrial action over the pensions proposals.

Council agreed that if the concerns of members were not addressed by government in the negotiations and a fair outcome for members was not achieved then a ballot of members on industrial action was inevitable.

Council also decided that the RCN would campaign to communicate the seriousness of the proposals and to ensure that the concerns of nursing staff were heard, and that the RCN would support colleagues from other unions in the Day of Action on 30 November 2011.

Council’s decision was communicated widely through a range of media including direct email, social media, the RCN’s website and presentations at member events across the UK. Various activities were coordinated to support the day of action and a range of materials were provided to members. Information about the pensions’ negotiations, including podcasts and short explanatory films featuring Peter Carter and Lead Negotiator, Gerry O’Dwyer and advice and guidance about both the RCN’s position on industrial action and in case of industrial action by other trade unions, has been made available on the RCN’s web site.

At the same time, the RCN was represented at a senior level in joint meetings of the TUC and NHS trade unions in planning for the day of action and relevant communications and protocols.

At its meeting on 9 and 10 November 2011 Council considered an update on the pensions negotiations including a Government announcement on 2 November 2011 to improve the ‘offer’ on public sector pensions and were unanimous in concluding that members' serious concerns over the Government's pension proposals must be addressed in a credible way through continued negotiations. Council authorised a ballot on industrial action at a meeting on 10 January 2012.

Debate report

Congress today voted in favour of a resolution which calls on RCN Council to ballot the membership for industrial action if an incremental pay freeze is imposed on nursing staff.

Proposer Lisa Falconer, from the UK Stewards Committee, said the resolution was submitted after Health Minister Anne Milton reopened the discussion on incremental pay freezes when she addressed Congress on Monday.

Tracey Budding, Chair of Council’s Membership Representation Committee, said: “It is a fundamental principle that members should not act in a way that is detrimental to patients. Let me also be clear. We have never taken industrial action, but we have been pushed to the threat of a ballot.”

Geoff Earl from the Lothian branch said it was about improving pay as skills were developed, while Hilary Rowell from the Northern branch said voting against the motion will lose the momentum gathered yesterday when Congress said it had no confidence in the health reforms.

“We’re not here to vote on industrial action or strike action,” said Greg Usrey from the Greater Glasgow branch. “We’re here to vote on a ballot. It is the threat of industrial action that gets results.”

Linda Bailey, from the Public Health Forum, said it would be easy to call an extraordinary Council which could decide to ballot if necessary; and Bethann Siviter, from the South Birmingham branch, was concerned about the impact on patient care of any industrial action.