Nurses’ pay: Marie Curie nursing staff reject 2% offer

Ballot of RCN members employed by leading nursing charity triggers formal pay negotiation process

Nurses working for a leading charity have voted to reject a 2% pay offer, prompting formal pay negotiations.

RCN members working for terminal illness charity Marie Curie were balloted on their employer’s offer for 2021-22. Proposals include an increase to £9.50 per hour for the lowest paid workers – support workers – to match the real living wage.

Agenda for Change – a salaries benchmark for nurses

The RCN’s Fair Pay for Nursing campaign is aiming for 12.5% pay increase for all nursing staff on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts and wants pay parity for employees in independent sector nursing jobs whose salaries are below AfC levels.

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RCN ballot participants will be able to complete a survey sharing their thoughts on the pay deal.

‘Any salary increase needs to be affordable. We are not alone in this, as other charities and public services are facing the same challenge’

Marie Curie spokesperson

RCN trade union committee chair Graham Revie said survey feedback will strengthen the college’s position in the negotiations. ‘Members will always decide what happens,’ he said.

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Financial pressures in charity sector

A Marie Curie spokesperson said: ‘With funding pressures in the NHS and local government, together with general pressures in the economy, we are unlikely to be able to offer substantial pay increases. While we want to be fair to all staff, any salary increase needs to be affordable. We are not alone in this, as other charities and public services are facing the same challenge.’

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