Today, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) opens its new strike action ballot which will see almost 300,000 nursing staff across England asked whether they’re prepared to take further strike action over the next six months.
The ballot of RCN members working on Agenda for Change contracts in England will ask whether nursing staff are prepared to take strike action in response to the NHS pay award the UK government is implementing for 2022/23 and 2023/24.
The RCN is urging members to vote ‘yes’ to strike action to pressure ministers to improve the pay award for nursing staff – and in turn improve staffing levels to keep patients safe.
This comes after RCN members rejected the award in April following six days of strike action between December and February and a further 28-hour strike was held on 30 April without national derogations.
The RCN’s new ballot will be aggregated, meaning the union is seeking a country-wide mandate. This means the union would have a mandate to strike in every NHS Trust or other NHS employer in England where RCN members work. If successful, the next strikes would involve more than twice as many nursing staff at twice as many locations.
To achieve a country-wide mandate, 50% of all eligible members must vote and the majority must say ‘yes’ to strike action. Previously, the RCN sought a mandate to strike at individual NHS employers which meant only specific trusts took strike action.
The ballot opens as the government seeks to push the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill through Parliament, with the Bill being voted on in Parliament on Monday. The RCN says the Bill is curtailing the freedom of nursing staff to take part in lawful industrial action and is calling for MPs to support an amendment to ensure nursing staff cannot be sacked for striking.
The ballot will close on Friday 23 June with results expected to be announced the following week. The new strike would run until 22 December 2023.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen said:
“Once again, we have been forced to ask our members if they want to take to the picket lines in their fight for fair pay. This is unfinished business and the government can get it resolved without the need for more strike action.
“Ministers have tried to silence them through the courts as well as in Parliament but we will continue to make sure their voice is heard through the corridors of power.
“The NHS is fraying at the edges. To improve care and address the shortage, government must bring more people into nursing and keep them there by paying staff fairly.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
By law, the ballot must be carried out by post and ballot papers will be sent first class to RCN members working on Agenda for Change contracts in England today. Eligible members can expect to receive them within days and must return them as soon as possible to Civica Election Services (the RCN’s independent ballot scrutineer). The deadline for return of ballot papers is midnight on Friday 23 June. Civica will also verify the final count of votes.
