Reopen pay talks says RCN

Published: 27 October 2008

The RCN with the other NHS unions is urging the Government to reopen pay talks for 2009 following an unexpected rise in inflation, which is now at its highest level in 16 years. The College agreed to a three year pay deal last year when it was assumed by government and independent economic commentators that inflation was peaking and would be at 2% by the end of the year. As health workers across the NHS face severe hardship, unions argue the deal is now leaving hundreds of thousands of NHS workers struggling financially.

The RCN, along side other staff side unions, is now presenting evidence that makes the case for the independent NHS Pay Review Body to seek a remit to review the pay uplifts for 2009 and 2010, using a negotiations re-opener clause. Evidence submitted shows ‘significant and material changes in recruitment and retention and wider economic and labour market conditions’.

The RCN said there were a number of reasons why it was essential to invoke the clause to re-open negotiations in this period of economic uncertainty.

The RCN said the economic justification is clear and added there are also signs of an emerging recruitment and retention crisis with significant numbers of student nurses dropping out of university and 180,000 nurses due to retire within the decade. There is particular concern about the community sector, which tends to attract more experienced nurses as this sector is also the focus for government reforms where demand for qualified health professionals is set to increase.

At RCN Congress in April 2008, Health Secretary Alan Johnson said that if inflation rose and continued to rise, there was ‘not any force on earth’ that would stop the independent NHS Pay Review Body, the RCN and other unions from re-opening negotiations.

The RCN emphasised that good quality patient care depended on sufficient skilled and motivated nurses to provide it and added that below inflation pay awards impact negatively on both recruitment and retention.

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the RCN said:

“Hardworking NHS staff put their faith in the Government when they accepted their pay deal - now it’s time for the Government to honour the day-in day-out commitment of NHS staff by agreeing to reopen talks to secure a fairer pay deal across the health service.”

Staff side unions are also submitting a report commissioned from Income Data Services (IDS) which provides further evidence of the disparity between the current economic climate and the situation when the pay deal was agreed.