RCN Northern Ireland moves towards strike action over 'shameful' failure to pay nursing staff

The RCN has issued a stark warning that strike action is now imminent due to a failure to implement the 3.6% pay award recommended by the Pay Review Body earlier this year.

Despite repeated promises from the Northern Ireland Executive, including a debate in the Assembly on 23 September and statements made by the finance minister to the Assembly on 30 September, there is still no resolution to this unacceptable situation.

Unfortunately, empty promises don’t pay bills. In response to this continued failure, the RCN will begin the formal process of balloting members for strike action. The first step will be consulting the RCN’s governing Council.

Professor Rita Devlin, Executive Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland said:

“This time last week, we held out hope that the Northern Ireland Executive would finally act to resolve this crisis. Instead, we are once again out of pay parity with our UK colleagues. The Northern Ireland Executive has reneged on its commitment to maintaining pay parity for nurses.

“It is not unreasonable to expect a pay award to be planned and delivered on time but currently, we don’t have a commitment or timeline for the payment of the 3.6% uplift which has been paid to our colleagues across the UK. It is nothing short of shameful that it is our own Northern Ireland politicians who are forcing nursing staff in Northern Ireland back onto the picket lines in order to get the pay award that has been recommended, and which they all agreed should be paid.

“This is not an inflation-busting pay uplift, in fact it barely covers the rising cost of living. The damage being caused to staff morale over this issue is unquantifiable and I have no doubt this will be reflected in how nursing staff vote in the next election. It is very clear to our members that they are not seen as important or valued by those in power when something as simple as a pay award, which they knew was coming, cannot be delivered.

“How can we promote nursing as a respected and rewarding career when our professionals are treated with such disregard year after year? I am beyond disappointed; I am angry and disgusted that we have reached this point.”

The RCN calls on the Northern Ireland Executive to act immediately and avoid plunging the health service into further disruption. Nursing staff deserve better, and they will not stand by in silence. It appears that strike action is the only option left open to the RCN.