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Nurse pay: RCN delays strike ballot following Queen’s death

College suspends voting for potential industrial action over pay offer, which was set to begin on 15 September and be open to 300,000 members

College suspends voting for potential industrial action over pay offer, which was set to begin on 15 September and be open to 300,000 members

RCN pay ballot postponed

The RCN has postponed its ballot on industrial action over pay following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last Thursday.

The Queen, who died at Balmoral Castle on 8 September, was royal patron of the college for more than 65 years.

Voting over pay suspended as nation mourns

The RCN was due open a postal ballot this week, running from 15 September to 13 October, with 300,000 members across the UK due to vote on potential strike action over pay.

But following the Queen’s death, the RCN emailed its members to confirm it has suspended the ballot.

A spokesperson for the college said: ‘Out of respect, the NHS pay ballot will be delayed and campaigning should pause until further notice.’

Buckingham Palace has announced an official national period of mourning, which will last until the end of the day of her state funeral at Westminster Abbey, on 19 September. This will also be a national bank holiday to allow the public to attend gatherings or watch the ceremony on television.

RCN wants pay rise of 5% above inflation

In July the government made its pay offer to NHS staff, which includes a salary increase of at least £1,400 in 2022-23 for nurses in England and Wales working on Agenda for Change pay bands. This amounts to an increase of between 1.3% and 5.5% depending on a nurse’s current band.

The RCN is calling for a pay rise for nursing staff of 5% above inflation in a bid to protect them against the spiralling cost of living.

In Scotland nurses rejected their offer of 5% from the government and are joining the ballot on industrial action with England and Wales. RCN Northern Ireland members will also be joining the ballot despite having no formal pay offer.

Sign the online book of condolence

The Queen first became involved with the work of the RCN in 1944 when, as a young Princess Elizabeth, she became president of the Student Nurses’ Association. Following her coronation in 1953, she became RCN’s royal patron.

The college has an online book of condolence for people to sign. You can share your memories and thoughts of the Queen at: https://bookofcondolence.rcni.com/


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