Nurses strike ballot to open today in Northern Ireland

Nurses will have until noon on November 2 to decide if they are prepared to strike over pay.If a strike goes ahead, it will represent only the second time in the 106-year history of the trade union that Northern Ireland members have taken to picket lines.

The first strike by RCN members happened in 2019 over staffing levels and pay.

That action was brought to a halt when the Northern Ireland Executive was restored, a pay deal was struck and a framework for safe staffing legislation was agreed.

Today’s ballot, meanwhile, also comes during a powersharing deadlock at Stormont and Health Minister Robin Swann has previously said he cannot implement a pay award recommended by a UK-wide review body due to the ongoing political crisis.

RCN Northern Ireland board chair, Fiona Devlin said: “Three years after taking strike action, nursing staff in Northern Ireland cannot believe that we are back in exactly the same position. Not only has nurses’ pay fallen behind other sectors, but our hard-working staff have not even received the same pay award that colleagues in England and Wales received last month. Unfortunately we believe we have no other choice but to take action.”

Rita Devlin, RCN Northern Ireland director added: “This is not a decision the RCN has taken lightly, however, our members are telling us that enough is enough.”

She added: “It is despicable that nurses in Northern Ireland have once again fallen behind colleagues in the rest of the UK.”