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Nurses across UK to start ‘summer of protest’ rallies next week

The first wave of RCN ‘summer of protest’ rallies will begin next week, with nurses makking their feelings known on the public sector pay cap.
demo

The first wave of the RCN’s ‘summer of protest’ events will begin next week, with nurses across the UK campaigning against the continuing public-sector pay cap.

demo
A demonstration against the pay cap in London in March. Picture: Mike Smith

RCN London will hold a ‘scrap the cap’ rally outside the Department of Health at Richmond House, Westminster, on Tuesday 27 June between midday and 2pm.

Scottish nurses will gather outside the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh on the same day from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. 

So far 15 protests have been announced by local RCN branches in England and Scotland.

Candlelit vigil

Other events include a candlelit vigil between 10pm and 10.30pm by RCN Norfolk at the Edith Cavell Memorial in Norwich on the evening of Monday, 26 June.

The event organisers said: ‘The gathering is taking place at 10pm to show that, at a time when most people are winding down for the night, a quiet army of nursing staff are heading to work to keep health services afloat 24 hours a day.’ 

Other events are likely to be more low key, with nurses asked to register interest in later action.

RCN activists agreed to take action over seven years of pay restraint during the college's congress in Liverpool last month.

Representatives also voted in favour of calling an official ballot for industrial action, both short of and including a strike, after an online survey found a majority of respondents in favour of action.

A full list of scrap the cap events can be found on the RCN website.


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