Nurses pay dispute: Strikes still on the cards after no 'meaningful political action', while confusion reigns on ministers' contradictory statements
Nurses are continuing to prepare to possibly go on strike, saying there has been no “meaningful political action” after contradictory statements from the First Minister and Health Minister over a pay dispute.
This week, Michelle O’Neill said the Executive was going to award the Department of Health £100m of a £200m shortfall needed to cover wage rises for nurses, adding the remainder had been “found” by Mike Nesbitt – but Mr Nesbitt contradicted her, stating his department was still working on the other half.
As confusion reigned, a major representative of nursing in Northern Ireland said they’re still preparing to ballot for strike action over the coming weeks.
Professor Rita Devlin, executive director of the Royal College Nurses (RCN) in Northern Ireland stated that despite promises the salary dispute would be sorted, the profession “remains in exactly the same position as before, with no pay award in sight”.
“We have heard various statements made over the past week which have unfairly raised expectations among our members that this dire situation would be resolved,” she told the News Letter on Friday afternoon. “However, we are still waiting for any confirmation of a pay award and how this will be delivered.
“We will continue to work with the Department of Health to try to come to an agreement on pay but we are very clear that nothing less than [a 3.6% wage rise] will do for our members.
“The RCN in Northern Ireland is continuing to prepare to ballot our members for strike action over the coming weeks. This is not where we want to be, but in the absence of meaningful political action, we are left with no alternative.
“The RCN has been consistent and clear that we will not tolerate going out of pay parity again. It is simply not an option.”
A wages body has recommended that nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland should get a 3.6% pay rise. The UK government has accepted that, but for months Mr Nesbitt has been adamant his department is under too much financial pressure to afford it, and the money will have to come from somewhere else.
Speaking to reporters on Friday evening, the First Minister was asked if the contradictory statements from Stormont ministers this week had caused confusion. She replied that she’s “very certain in terms of the pathway that we have in terms of trying to get a resolution”.
“I think we just need to create the space over the next couple of days to allow those conversations to continue and that we get that positive outcome, because ultimately, that’s where we want to be,” she stated.
“I think it was consistent in terms of the Executive yesterday that we have to end this cycle, break this cycle of nurses being left to the end of the line in terms of getting their pay settlement.
“So there’s a commitment for pay parity [with pay offers elsewhere in UK], there’s a commitment that that will not happen again in terms of the waiting. And I’m hopeful over the next couple of days we can get a resolution.”
Deputy First Minister Emma-Little Pengelly said Mr Nesbitt has been brought “50% of the way” and now “has a job to do”.
She added: “It’s not easy, but we believe and we have reason to be confident that he will be able to do that.”