North East nurses to be balloted for strike action
The Royal College of Nursing will ballot its members for industrial action in September, as they say some are left relying on foodbanks to survive
The Royal College of Nursing will ballot its members for industrial action in September, as they say some are left relying on foodbanks to survive the cost of living crisis.
It means RCN nurses across the North East will join others around the country next month, voting on whether they want to take strike action over their wages and pay future.
Sarah Dodsworth is the regional director for the Northern, Yorkshire and Humber regions,
She tells us how badly nurses on around Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham are struggling at the moment:
"They're exhausted, they're fed up of working in under-resourced areas - short staffing, not being able to give good care to patients.
"And that's what motivates them - the inability to provide effective safe care, shift after shift, because that's why you come into nursing... not for big money!
"At the end of the month - before payday - they're having to make a really difficult choice,
"We were speaking to someone last week, and he said a few months ago it was costing him £60 to fill his car and now it's £135 and he just cannot afford to do it.
"And he was a healthcare support worker - where's he going to find the money to do that?"
"They can't afford to travel to work, some of them are going to foodbanks - some are working extra shifts to try and afford just to live!
"And it's not beyond the wit of man to think that if you're working in the NHS you could be able to run a car, heat, eat and perhaps have a holiday?
Sarah explains that strike action is the last thing healthcare staff want to do - but they are being pushed to the brink;
"If they do that - that's a real message to Government to say enough is enough
"We can't do this any longer, and we need to ensure the safety for the future.
"It's a political choice to pay nursing staff what they're choosing to pay - and it's not good enough quite frankly."
A statement from the Department of Work and Pensions says;
"We hugely value the dedication and contribution of NHS nurses, and are working to boost recruitment, training and retention to ensure the NHS has a long-term sustainable nursing workforce. We are over halfway towards meeting our commitment to recruiting 50,000 more nurses, with nursing numbers over 29,000 higher in May 2022 than they were in September 2019.
"We accepted the recommendations from the independent NHS pay review bodies in full, giving over one million NHS workers, including nurses, a pay rise of at least £1,400 this year.
“We want a fair deal for staff and we know that very high inflation-driven settlements would have a worse impact on pay packets in the long run than proportionate and balanced increases now. Industrial action is a matter for unions, and we urge them to carefully consider the potential impacts.”