Northern Ireland’s largest nursing union takes part in dispute day

Northern Ireland’s largest nursing union announced strike action on 18 January and joined other unions in the action that day.

Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will join other trade unions in taking industrial action after failing to reach a pay deal in line with colleagues across the UK.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has designated 18 January as a “general day of action” following the conclusion of the Northern Ireland Executive Recovery Consultation.

Unions representing medical workers, midwives, radiographers, teachers and civil servants have said they will withdraw from work for a period of time on that day.

In December, Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris announced a £3.3bn package conditional on the return of the devolved government, which has been defunct for nearly two years due to the DUP’s boycott of post-Brexit trade deals.

The financial package includes a non-repayable reserve claim of up to £584m for public sector payment claims.

The DUP refused to re-enter Stormont in December, with leader Sir Geoffrey Donaldson saying talks would continue over members’ concerns about the trade deal.

The RCN Northern Ireland board met on Thursday to discuss the continuing stalemate in Stormont and said it had concluded its members’ patience had “run out”.

Rita Devlin, director of the RCN in Northern Ireland, said RCN members were among the lowest paid in the UK and that it was “nothing short of immoral” that they were not paid despite their financial means. Told.

“What an indictment on the way health care workers are treated and the values ​​of health care workers,” she said.

“Just this week, our emergency departments are once again struggling to cope with the number of critically ill patients requiring care. And who are we relying on to meet that challenge? Is not it?

“Low wages have made it extremely difficult to keep nursing staff employed in the health service and we will not tolerate this any longer. The lack of political campaigning has not only affected salaries; , patients and staff suffer every day as long-needed service transformation is also being hampered.

“We have no choice but to take further action.”

RCN Northern Ireland chairwoman Breege Quinn said in her 40 years of nursing she had “never seen such a dire situation”.

“As nurses, we have to stand up for our patients and speak on their behalf,” she said.

“Nursing staff are under unimaginable pressure, resulting in poor health and mental distress for themselves.

“While no nurse wants to take strike action, we cannot stand back any further and seek meaningful support and action to improve pay and improve the crisis facing health and social care in Northern Ireland. I can’t accept lack.

“We are not second-class citizens and we no longer refuse to be treated as such.”
In response to the RCN’s announcement, a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland office said:

“The Secretary of State’s consultations on stabilizing the finances of the returned Executive with the four parties eligible to form the Executive of Northern Ireland have concluded.

“The UK Government’s fair and generous package is worth more than £3bn, including up to £584m in public sector pay measures and more than £1bn to stabilize public services in Northern Ireland. .

“The Secretary of State expressed disappointment that the new executive had not accepted this offer and was ready to deliver it to the people of NI by Christmas.

“But this package is on the table, it will remain there and the next Northern Ireland Executive can take it on from day one.

“Now is the time for NI parties to come together, restore the Executive and start tackling the challenges facing the people of Northern Ireland, including public sector pay.”