Nurses reject 5.5% pay rise in blow to government

NHS workers take part in a march during a nursing strike in 2023. Credit: PA

Nurses have rejected a pay award of a 5.5% rise in a record turnout that saw two-thirds vote against the government's offer.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) made the announcement during Chancellor Rachel Reeves's speech to the Labour conference where she justified many of the decisions made by the new government, including above-inflation pay offers.

The pay award was announced by the Chancellor at the end of July, made by the government to public sector staff in July, soon after the election.

The head of the RCN said: "Our members do not yet feel valued." Credit: PA

Members of other health unions have accepted the 5.5% pay deal, which is for 2024/25.

RCN general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger said many would welcome the government's new approach but she added: "Our members do not yet feel valued and they are looking for urgent action, not rhetorical commitments."

The RCN said they had a record-high turnout of around 145,000 who took part in the vote.

The RCN said the high turnout surpassed the level seen in two statutory ballots for industrial action held by the union in 2022 and 2023, the first of which permitted six months of strike action by nursing staff.

The announcement follows a vote last week by junior doctors to accept a multi-year pay rise to end their long-running dispute.

The move will be seen as a blow to the new government which had hoped to fully reset relations with public sector workers after years of strikes over pay plagued the Conservatives.

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In a letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, Professor Ranger said: “We are witnessing a fundamental shift in the determination of nursing staff to stand up for themselves, their patients and the NHS they believe in.

“Many will support the new government’s health and care agenda as set out in recent weeks and fully recognise the diagnosis of a failing NHS.

"Working closely with all other professionals, nursing staff are the lifeblood of the service. The Government will find our continued support for the reforms key to their success.”

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