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Unison members vote ‘yes’ to action on pay By Kat Keogh
@katkeogh
Thousands of nurses in England could be set for strike action within weeks after Unison members backed action in a row over NHS pay. More than two thirds of Unison NHS members, including nurses and healthcare assistants, last week voted for strike action over the government’s ‘insulting’ refusal to give all NHS staff a 1 per cent cost of living pay rise. And 88 per cent said they were willing to take action short of strike action, such as taking part in protests. Ballot papers were posted to 350,000 Unison members last month, and 40,100 votes were cast. Unison is the first of four health unions – along with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), Unite and the GMB – to reveal the results of its strike ballot. With the remaining unions expecting to reveal results in the coming days (see box), the NHS could be faced with 400,000 staff taking action during the autumn and winter. Unison head of health Christina McAnea told Nursing Standard the first action could involve a four-hour stoppage in October. ‘The government has ridden roughshod over the recommendations
Timeline for industrial action September 18 Unison announces members voted ‘yes’ to strike action September 26 Unite ballot closes September 29 RCM ballot closes October 1 GMB ballot closes October 18 Mass demonstration organised by the TUC, called Britain Needs a Pay Rise, to take place in central London, ending with a rally in Hyde Park
of the independent NHS Pay Review Body (RB),’ said Ms McAnea. ‘The results of our ballot show members feel angry and disregarded.’ Resentment over the pay issue has been growing since March, when health secretary Jeremy Hunt rejected the recommendation by the RB to award a 1 per cent cost of living increase to all staff on Agenda for Change. The RCN has no plans to ballot members over industrial action.
Safeguarding patients
Ms McAnea said Unison would look to co-ordinate any action with other unions that voted ‘yes’ to industrial action, but insisted patients would not be put at risk as a result. ‘We would never ask our members to abandon patients, and we will work with employers to ensure essential cover is there,’ she added. ‘We would never expect staff to leave a patient having a heart attack, or a cancer patient in the middle of treatment. Action is about maximum impact on the organisation, but minimum impact on patients.’ RCM chief executive Cathy Warwick urged her members to follow Unison’s lead in voting ‘yes’ to industrial action, for the first time in the union’s 130-year history. She said: ‘Now is the time for midwives to say enough is enough, and to show their frustration over the rejection of the justly deserved 1 per cent pay award and vote “yes” in our ballot.’ A Department of Health spokesperson said the department was ‘disappointed’ at the Unison ballot. ‘We remain keen to meet with the unions to discuss how we can work together to make the NHS pay system fairer and more affordable,’ the spokesperson added.
Nurse cycles across the UK for QNI A district nurse has got back on her bike to complete a tandem cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats in aid of the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI). Anne Smith and her husband John, pictured, took 15 days to complete the gruelling 950-mile journey, raising more than £2,000 for the community nursing charity. Ms Smith – who used to do her rounds by bike – said she was in ‘fine fettle’ after completing the challenge earlier this month, but was looking forward to some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Money raised by the couple will go towards the QNI’s Right Nurse, Right Skills campaign, which calls for more investment in community nursing to improve nursing care in people’s homes. QNI chief executive Crystal Oldman said: ‘We are in awe of Anne and John’s accomplishment and deeply grateful for the great effort this took.’
NURSING STANDARD :: vol no 4 permission. :: 2014 7 Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 09, 2015. For personal september use only. No 24 other uses29 without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Share your news with us – email [email protected], call +44 (0)20 8872 3144 or @NurseStandard
Unison members vote ‘yes’ to action on pay By Kat Keogh
@katkeogh
Thousands of nurses in England could be set for strike action within weeks after Unison members backed action in a row over NHS pay. More than two thirds of Unison NHS members, including nurses and healthcare assistants, last week voted for strike action over the government’s ‘insulting’ refusal to give all NHS staff a 1 per cent cost of living pay rise. And 88 per cent said they were willing to take action short of strike action, such as taking part in protests. Ballot papers were posted to 350,000 Unison members last month, and 40,100 votes were cast. Unison is the first of four health unions – along with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), Unite and the GMB – to reveal the results of its strike ballot. With the remaining unions expecting to reveal results in the coming days (see box), the NHS could be faced with 400,000 staff taking action during the autumn and winter. Unison head of health Christina McAnea told Nursing Standard the first action could involve a four-hour stoppage in October. ‘The government has ridden roughshod over the recommendations
Timeline for industrial action September 18 Unison announces members voted ‘yes’ to strike action September 26 Unite ballot closes September 29 RCM ballot closes October 1 GMB ballot closes October 18 Mass demonstration organised by the TUC, called Britain Needs a Pay Rise, to take place in central London, ending with a rally in Hyde Park
of the independent NHS Pay Review Body (RB),’ said Ms McAnea. ‘The results of our ballot show members feel angry and disregarded.’ Resentment over the pay issue has been growing since March, when health secretary Jeremy Hunt rejected the recommendation by the RB to award a 1 per cent cost of living increase to all staff on Agenda for Change. The RCN has no plans to ballot members over industrial action.
Safeguarding patients
Ms McAnea said Unison would look to co-ordinate any action with other unions that voted ‘yes’ to industrial action, but insisted patients would not be put at risk as a result. ‘We would never ask our members to abandon patients, and we will work with employers to ensure essential cover is there,’ she added. ‘We would never expect staff to leave a patient having a heart attack, or a cancer patient in the middle of treatment. Action is about maximum impact on the organisation, but minimum impact on patients.’ RCM chief executive Cathy Warwick urged her members to follow Unison’s lead in voting ‘yes’ to industrial action, for the first time in the union’s 130-year history. She said: ‘Now is the time for midwives to say enough is enough, and to show their frustration over the rejection of the justly deserved 1 per cent pay award and vote “yes” in our ballot.’ A Department of Health spokesperson said the department was ‘disappointed’ at the Unison ballot. ‘We remain keen to meet with the unions to discuss how we can work together to make the NHS pay system fairer and more affordable,’ the spokesperson added.
Nurse cycles across the UK for QNI A district nurse has got back on her bike to complete a tandem cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats in aid of the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI). Anne Smith and her husband John, pictured, took 15 days to complete the gruelling 950-mile journey, raising more than £2,000 for the community nursing charity. Ms Smith – who used to do her rounds by bike – said she was in ‘fine fettle’ after completing the challenge earlier this month, but was looking forward to some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Money raised by the couple will go towards the QNI’s Right Nurse, Right Skills campaign, which calls for more investment in community nursing to improve nursing care in people’s homes. QNI chief executive Crystal Oldman said: ‘We are in awe of Anne and John’s accomplishment and deeply grateful for the great effort this took.’
NURSING STANDARD :: vol no 4 permission. :: 2014 7 Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 09, 2015. For personal september use only. No 24 other uses29 without Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
