"Frustrating doesn't even cover it"

Tuesday 03 December 2019

The last chance for the States to strike a deal with Guernsey's nurses has passed, meaning the RCN is now looking more likely than ever to take industrial action.

The next step for the union is to hold a ballot of its members to see if they still support doing that.

Royal College of Nursing bosses green lit industrial action last week, but still met the industrial disputes officer one last time to see if a pay deal could be reached. 

"Frustrating doesn’t even cover it," Lindsay Meeks, RCN Regional Director, said, "Our members deserve so much more than to be brushed off like this. This campaign has never been about money. This campaign is about valuing nurses and paying them what they are worth. For years and years nurses have accepted meagre handouts and sticking plaster bonuses. What the profession is crying out for is proper modernisation and a pay structure that befits the qualifications, work and responsibility nurses have. We are not demeaning other professions who are paid more, we are simply asking that we are paid equally.

“We are not exaggerating when we say that the nursing profession on Guernsey is at risk. We have already heard from members who are moving their families to Jersey where they fought hard for and receive pay commensurate with their allied health professionals.

“These talks were the perfect opportunity to address all of these concerns in an honest and constructive way. Frankly this has been squandered leaving our members more disillusioned than ever. The ‘improved’ offer from the States is so marginal it won’t make any difference to the majority of our members and what’s more it kicks the vital issue of modernisation into the long grass.

“Our next steps are to reluctantly ballot on the updated offer from the States. We will have a result before Christmas. If as we as we expect, the members reject this offer, we will push ahead immediately with the Industrial Action ballot in early January 2020.”

Pictured: Guernsey's nurses went on a well supported march in their quest for better pay over the summer. 

Guernsey's nurses have been publicly campaigning for better pay all year. 

As well as taking a march through town, which saw hundreds of people waving banners supporting their quest, they also handed over a petition with thousands of signatures to the Policy and Resources Committee, which is responsible for pay deals. 

However, it has been suggested that nurses may not be legally protected if they choose to strike. 

Guernsey's Industrial Disputes Law doesn't give workers the 'statutory right' to strike, meaning they could be left exposed to legal action if they choose to pursue industrial action.