Northern Ireland nursing union warns of ‘imminent’ strike action

The union said it is beginning the formal process of balloting for strike action among its members

A nursing union has warned that “strike action is now imminent” in Northern Ireland as they have still not received the pay award that counterparts other parts of the UK have.

The Royal College of Nursing has issued the warning regarding strike action saying that “the Northern Ireland Executive has reneged on its commitment to maintaining pay parity for nurses”, despite repeated promises and a statement by the Finance Minister on September 30.

The union said it is beginning the formal process of balloting for strike action among its members, and will be consulting its governing council this week.

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Professor Rita Devlin, Executive Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland said: “This time last week, we held out hope that the Northern Ireland Executive would finally act to resolve this crisis. Instead, we are once again out of pay parity with our UK colleagues. The Northern Ireland Executive has reneged on its commitment to maintaining pay parity for nurses.

“It is not unreasonable to expect a pay award to be planned and delivered on time but currently, we don’t have a commitment or timeline for the payment of the 3.6% uplift which has been paid to our colleagues across the UK. It is nothing short of shameful that it is our own Northern Ireland politicians who are forcing nursing staff in Northern Ireland back onto the picket lines in order to get the pay award that has been recommended, and which they all agreed should be paid.

“This is not an inflation-busting pay uplift, in fact it barely covers the rising cost of living. The damage being caused to staff morale over this issue is unquantifiable and I have no doubt this will be reflected in how nursing staff vote in the next election. It is very clear to our members that they are not seen as important or valued by those in power when something as simple as a pay award, which they knew was coming, cannot be delivered.

“How can we promote nursing as a respected and rewarding career when our professionals are treated with such disregard year after year? I am beyond disappointed; I am angry and disgusted that we have reached this point.

“The RCN calls on the Northern Ireland Executive to act immediately and avoid plunging the health service into further disruption. Nursing staff deserve better, and they will not stand by in silence. It appears that strike action is the only option left open to the RCN.”

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