Nurses reject pay offer as it falls short of giving them parity
Posted 25 March 2024 - 13:30
Nurses in Northern Ireland refuse deal that fails to bring them in line with colleagues in England, although other health unions vote in favour
Nurses in Northern Ireland have rejected a pay deal despite most other health unions voting to accept it.
The RCN’s consultation on health service pay in Northern Ireland closed on Thursday with 56% of members rejecting the offer and 44% voting to accept it.
Following the restoration of devolved government at Stormont earlier this year, health workers were offered a 5% increase and a lump sum of £1,505. It will now be implemented after its acceptance by other unions.
But the RCN said it remains in dispute as the offer falls short of pay parity with nursing colleagues in England. Agenda for Change (AfC) staff in England received a combined non-consolidated one-off payment worth between £1,655 and £3,789.
RCN director for Northern Ireland Rita Devlin said the college will hold a meeting as a matter of urgency to consider the results of its ballot and determine the next steps.
Nurses will not tolerate being treated unequally and unfairly, says RCN
‘This vote to reject the pay offer that fell short of pay parity with colleagues in England is a message from our members in Northern Ireland that they will not tolerate being treated unequally and unfairly,’ said Ms Devlin.
‘While Northern Ireland has been in political turmoil over the past two years, nursing staff have continued to treat and care for patients, despite having no pay rise and facing unprecedented cost of living pressures. It has been disappointing to say the least that we couldn’t, at the bare minimum, reach a pay offer that is equal to others.’
The rejection of the offer comes as the Observer newspaper reported that 9,000 overseas nurses are leaving the UK every year for better paid jobs in the US, Australia and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, other health worker unions in Northern Ireland have voted to accept a pay offer. Unison said 29,000 members voted by 77% to 23% in favour, while Unite said 81% of its members voted to accept.
Pay settlement will be backdated to April 2023
Others accepting the deal included the Royal College of Midwives, with 86% in favour, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists with 84% accepting and the Society of Radiographers with 73% in favour.
In a statement, health minister Robin Swann said he welcomed the ‘decisive outcome of trade union ballots on the pay offer’ and the department would now implement the offer. The pay settlement, which is for 2023-24, will be backdated to April 2023.
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