UK nurses to vote for decision on first ever strike in 106 years over salary

For the first time in its 106-year existence, the Royal College of Nursing is holding a vote among all of its members in the UK for going on strike.

The union wants its 300,000 members to strike over salary, and the vote's results are expected next month.

If strikes occur, non-urgent but not emergency services will be impacted, according to the RCN.

Nurses are being asked by the government to "carefully consider" the effect on patients.

No UK country has provided anything even remotely close to the five per cent increase the RCN has been requesting over the 12 per cent RPI inflation rate.

In Scotland, five per cent has been awarded, whereas NHS employees in England and Wales, including nurses, are receiving an average of 4.75 per cent more. A salary award for nurses has not yet been given in Northern Ireland.

In comparison to the 4.6 per cent average for the entire economy, the average wage fell by 6 per cent between 2011 and 2021, according to a study the RCN said it had commissioned.

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The starting pay for nurses in England is presently slightly over £27,000, while the highest-paid nurses make about £55,000.

According to the RCN, the average annual salary for a full-time, experienced nurse was just over £32,000 in the previous year, which was in line with the national average.

To support its position, the union is asking the general public to sign a letter to Prime Minister Liz Truss.

(with inputs from agencies)

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