Nurses union to reject pay deal as strike vote looms

Nurses are anticipated to reject their pay award in England this week, elevating the potential of strikes later within the yr, the BBC understands.The Royal School of Nursing (RCN) has been holding a consultative vote on their 3.6% pay rise, beforehand describing it as “grotesque” to award nurses a decrease enhance than docs, academics, jail officers and the armed forces.It’s going to announce the outcomes later this week however the BBC understands it’s going to present an “overwhelming” rejection of the deal.The federal government mentioned there had been two above-inflation pay rises already, urging RCN members to just accept the pay award.Any resolution on formal strike motion wouldn’t be made till later within the yr.In Could, the federal government accepted the pay evaluate physique’s suggestions of a 3.6% rise for nurses this yr.The turnout is predicted to be effectively over the 50% threshold wanted for industrial motion.The union will demand ministers negotiate over the summer season to keep away from a proper poll for strike motion within the autumn.The RCN is known to be open to talks on wider pay constructions, not simply headline pay.A union spokesman mentioned: “The outcomes will probably be introduced to our members later this week. As the most important a part of the NHS workforce, nursing employees don’t really feel valued and the federal government should urgently start to show that round.” A Division of Well being and Social Care spokesperson mentioned new full-time nurses would obtain £30,000 in fundamental pay for the primary time this yr following earlier pay rises. They continued: “This authorities is obvious we won’t transfer any additional on headline pay however will work with the RCN to enhance their main issues, together with pay construction reform, issues on profession development and wider working situations.”On Friday the GMB union representing hundreds of well being employees, together with ambulance crews, rejected the federal government’s pay deal in an preliminary consultative vote.The GMB mentioned its members voted by 67% towards the three.6% pay award supplied for 2025/26 in England.The union has written to Well being Secretary Wes Streeting calling for an pressing assembly to debate pay and different points.GMB nationwide secretary Rachel Harrison mentioned: “Our nationwide NHS and ambulance committees met on 24 July to debate the poll outcomes and decide what the subsequent steps ought to be.”Immediately, we’ve written to Secretary of State Wes Streeting, asking him to fulfill with us to debate pay and different points of great significance to GMB members.”We await his reply with curiosity.”Hundreds of resident docs in England, beforehand generally known as junior docs, started a five-day strike on Friday after the federal government and the British Medical Affiliation failed to achieve an settlement over pay.The well being secretary mentioned whereas it was not doable to remove disruption to the NHS, it was being saved to a minimal.