- Members asked to vote on two years of pay awards and commitments on safe staffing, tackling violence and a new pay spine for nursing
- Eligible members have until 9am on Friday 14 April to have their say
From today (28 March), almost 280,000 RCN members employed on Agenda for Change contracts in England will vote on whether to accept or reject the UK government’s NHS pay offer.
Negotiations were held between the RCN and health ministers, including other unions, in late February and early March following six days of strike action since mid-December.
The pay offer by government was made on Thursday 16 March.
Eligible RCN members will have until 9am on Friday 14 April to cast their vote via a secure process on the RCN website.
The offer made by the UK government consists of:
- Two one-off payments for the current financial year 2022/23. These amounts when combined are worth between £1,655 and £3,789 dependent on salary band and are additional to increases to pay already made this financial year. These are referred to as non-consolidated amounts as they do not count towards members' pensions and are not added to their future pay packet.
- A 5% consolidated (permanent) pay increase for 2023/24 for all those at point 2 of Band 2 and above.
- A series of commitments and plans to improve pay, terms and conditions over time. These include a specific commitment to the RCN to consider a new pay spine exclusively for all nursing staff, as part of work to tackle challenges with career and pay progression with the intention that resulting changes can be delivered within the 2024/25 pay year. The offer also includes commitments on safe staffing and tackling violence.
RCN members are being urged to familiarise themselves with the full pay offer and consider what it means for them. It affects each person differently, depending on what pay band and pay point they are on. RCN Council has recommended on balance that members vote to accept.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen said:
“Ministers spent many months ignoring the voice of nursing and they forced us to take extremely difficult strike action before recognising the need to look again at pay in the NHS.
“Weeks of negotiation resulted in a new offer and it’s only right that we ask our members to vote again and to give their view on the government’s proposal. Whatever the members decide, we will build on the last few months of campaigning for fair pay and recognition.
“We are urging our members to look at the offer in full. There are several elements, including a commitment to a policy framework for safe staffing and looking at a new pay spine for nursing.
“Nursing staff have fought proudly for their profession and patients alike in recent months. Our membership has never been stronger and their determination has led to this new offer.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
The full pay offer is detailed here.
The offer made by the UK government includes a series of commitments and plans to improve pay, terms and conditions over time. These include a specific commitment to the RCN to consider a new pay spine exclusively for all nursing staff, as part of work to tackle challenges with career and pay progression with the intention that resulting changes can be delivered within the 2024/25 pay year. More information is available here.
