British Nurses Vote To Strike Over Pay: Reports

The U.K.’s beleaguered health services face yet another blow as the country’s main nursing union looks to have voted in favour of industrial action.

The Royal College of Nursing asked its 300,000 members to strike over pay in a ballot that ended last week. Although official results have not yet been announced, sources have told several U.K. publications nurses have largely agreed to the action.

If a strike goes ahead, it will be the first-ever walkout of its kind.

The move would put extra pressure on already intensely overstretched services, exacerbating twin crises in emergency and non-urgent care. As hospitals struggle to get on top of lengthy waiting lists, a strike would likely lead to further cancellations of appointments.

But union leaders say nurses in emergency care would continue to work if action goes ahead. This includes those working in “life preserving” services like critical care, continuing therapeutic care and urgent diagnostics, according to The Guardian.

The RCN wants to strike over what it argues are inadequate pay rises offered by the government earlier this year. The rising cost of living in the U.K., union leaders argue, dwarfs the salary boosts offered to nurses who have endured extremely challenging working conditions throughout the pandemic.

The government told The Guardian that a nurse’s average basic salary would rise from roughly £35,600 ($40,500) to £37,000 ($42,000) from March this year. This is an increase of about 4%.

But union leaders have asked for a much larger increase that takes into account soaring levels of inflation. They want a pay rise of 5% above inflation, which currently stands at around 13%.

Union leaders say pay increases are needed not just to help nurses battle the cost of living crisis, but to make the overall workforce itself more resilient. The country’s hospitals are seriously understaffed, with tens of thousands of nursing vacancies currently unfilled.

Other major health unions, including Unison, are also considering industrial action over pay.

RCN general secretary and chief executive Pat Cullen said in a statement: “Patients are at great risk when there aren’t enough nurses. Huge numbers of staff — both experienced and newer recruits — are deciding they cannot see a future in a nursing profession that is not valued nor treated fairly.

“Our strike action will be as much for patients as it is for nurses — we have their support in doing this. As we begin action, politicians in every part of the UK will be challenged to back their nursing staff and understand the strength of public support.”