South Yorkshire nurses to decide whether they want to strike or not
The second ballot at the Royal College of Nursing is underway
Nurses in South Yorkshire are deciding whether they want to strike in a row over pay and staffing.
The second ever ballot at the Royal College of Nursing closes next month and it could mean more walkouts until the end of the year.
Sarah Dodsworth, Regional Director for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "Morale has dropped even further. Our members tell us that they continue to be exhausted, they feel angry and disappointed with the government for treating nursing with such disrespect, because they feel that reflects on the patients in their care too.
"They're not able to provide quality and safe care every shift. No shifts run without enough nursing staff to support patients safely. Patients are dying and that's really why nurses are taking a vote to strike again because they can't tolerate this for the public of the UK.
"Their jobs have grown exponentially and it really doesn't help nursing staff to earn the money that's commensurate with the skills and knowledge they need. Patients are sicker, they stay in hospital for less time and their care in the community is far more complex than it was 15-20 years ago.
"Striking has made our voice heard. It's the first time in the history of the RCN in England that nurses have taken this action. I think it's really disappointing that we have to go to these lengths to get the government to listen to concerns about investment in patient care, nursing and the NHS.
"Ideally we would be having conversations in a room and coming to some sort of agreement and settlement, because the government must realise that years of underinvestment caused the NHS to fail. We know patients are dying unnecessarily and that's on the government's hands."
The Government says they have offered a fair and generous deal which majority of other unions have accepted.
It adds there will be no improvement to the pay offer made in April.