Votes counted after biggest strike ballot in Royal College of Nursing’s history
It was the biggest strike ballot in the RCN’s 106-year history, reflecting the seriousness of the dispute over pay which is raging across the NHS.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A strike ballot among more than 300,000 members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has ended, with the result due in the coming days.
It was the biggest strike ballot in the RCN’s 106-year history, reflecting the seriousness of the dispute over pay which is raging across the NHS.
Civica Election Services undertook the ballot on behalf of the RCN, with papers needing to be returned by 12pm on Wednesday.
There has never been a more crucial time to fight for safe staffing and fair pay
The ballot was carried out at an employer rather than a national level, meaning the thresholds required for strike action to be lawful in each country will be used to determine at which workplaces strike action could be held.
The votes are being counted.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: “I want to thank members for taking the time to vote in this historic ballot.
“There has never been a more crucial time to fight for safe staffing and fair pay.
“Our NHS is on the precipice due to chronic staff shortages.
“Our profession is being pushed to the edge, with patient safety paying the price.
“None of us wants to take industrial action but we’ve been forced into this position after a decade of real-terms pay cuts.
“We can’t stand by and watch our colleagues and patients suffer anymore. Enough is enough.”
The RCN said there are record nursing vacancies and in the last year 25,000 nursing staff around the UK left the Nursing and Midwifery Council register.
It said recent analysis showed an experienced nurse’s salary has fallen by 20% in real terms since 2010, saying the goodwill and expertise of nursing staff is being “exploited” by governments across the UK.
The RCN is campaigning for a pay rise of 5% above inflation.