A look into the NHS pay rise strike in the UK in 2024

The NHS is facing a winter of discontent, with a number of health unions, notably the British Medical Association, balloting for strike action. The RCN is the world’s biggest nursing trade union and professional organization, and it has generally been opposed to strikes. 

For the first time in its 106-year existence, the 300,000 members of the Royal College of Nursing will vote on whether to walk out of work. Pat Cullen, the general secretary said that this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to raise wages and tackle the staff shortages that put patients at risk general secretary Pat Cullen said.

The last widespread NHS strike by nurses was in 1988, led by minor unions but opposed by the RCN. According to the Mirror, this UK-wide walkout will be in response to the Government’s announcement of a £1,400 wage increase, which will be a substantial real-terms pay loss after inflation. This amounted to roughly 4% on average, whilst nurses in Scotland received a 5% raise before inflation. Unions have both rejected both proposals.

The starting wage for an NHS nurse is £27,055; for support employees represented by the RCN, such as healthcare assistants, it is £20,270. Last year, the RCN calculated that the average nurse’s wage was £35,340, including overtime and on-call compensation.

According to the union, it chose to vote when the government offered a £1,400 salary increase, which would leave them £1,000 worse off in actual terms.

Most NHS employees will have a four percent increase, whereas the RPI gauge of inflation is at 12.3 percent. To avert a torrent of nurses quitting the field, the RCN is asking for a “restorative” salary increase of 5% over inflation.

The union has set up a £50 million hardship fund for striking workers whose pay has been reduced, and it claims that members of the public have already contributed. It is encouraging the public to sign General Secretary Pat Cullen’s letter to the Prime Minister, which states: “On behalf of the nursing profession I implore you to see sense. Protect nursing to protect the public.”

The poll comes after a Nuffield Trust study found that over 40,000 nurses left England every year. Pat Cullen stated, “Record numbers of patients feel they have no choice except to quit, and patients pay a high price.” “I have met with hundreds of you directly in recent weeks, and it is evident that we need immediate reform.” Nursing is the most rewarding profession in the world. “Defend it with your vote.”

According to a new YouGov survey, two-thirds of the British population (65%) support nurses going on strike. In the same study, 75% of respondents believed the NHS has too few nurses to provide safe treatment.

“We admire the hard work of NHS nurses and are working hard to assist them, including by offering over 1 million NHS staff, including nurses, a pay boost of at least £1,400 this year,” said a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Social Care.

“NHS employees also earned a 3% pay increase last year, raising nurses’ salary by £1,000 on average despite a pay freeze in the public sector.” Unions are responsible for industrial action, and we urge them to carefully evaluate the possible consequences for patients.”