Nurses threaten strike action without pay boost
1 min read
Nurses in England and Wales could go on strike if the Government does not move to increase public sector pay, the Royal College of Nursing has warned.
Reports yesterday suggested Theresa May is planning to lift the seven-year public sector pay cap later this month, with nurses among the first to benefit from a pay rise coming in next April.
The head of the RCN, Janet Davies, said ministers would need to bring in a significant increase to reflect years of pay restraint for her members.
Nurses are expected to protest outside Parliament tomorrow as part of the RCN's 'Scrap the Cap' campaign.
“If reports are true, this would be significant progress and a sign that the Government is listening to our campaign," Ms Davies said yesterday.
"But any offer from the PM or Treasury needs to not only scrap the pay cap for future years but go some way towards making up for lost earnings.
“If the Government does not scrap the cap then industrial action is on the table. Nursing pay has fallen by 14 per cent in real-terms since 2010, now worth £3,000 each year."
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