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Derby nurses call off strike over pay cut

Derby nurses call off strike over pay cut

Nurses in Derby have come back from the brink of strike action over a hospital's decision to cut their wages.

Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust wants to cut the pay of nearly 300 nurses, mainly from the surgical directorate, by dropping their pay bands from band six to band five.

But a ballot of members on an improved offer this week accepted the new pay structure with an improved pay protection package.

This means that the worst affected nurses will have their pay protected for three years, and will still receive pay rises.

Jenny Flood, Unison regional organiser, said the trust had promised not to downgrade a further 70 healthcare assistants, conduct a clinical review of changes to the surgical directorate, consult better of future changes and withdraw proposed changes to women's and children's services.

She added: 'The fact that hardworking people still face a pay cut is hard to swallow.

'I have nothing but respect for the commitment UNISON members showed to each other, and the people they provide services for, throughout this dispute. Their solidarity and support have not only led to better pay protection and better safeguards for services, they have also left us in the situation whereby we can still challenge and campaign against any further poor proposals in Womens and Childrens and further afield.'

An earlier indicative ballot in May favoured strike action

 

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Reader Response

Added: Saturday, 28 June 2008 19:42 BST
Anonymous, Pershore, United Kingdom

If employers such as those in Derby, can now unilaterally cut nurses pay by readjusting their pay bands, isn't it time all the nursing unions the RCN included, develope a strategy of selected industrial action, that can be used to protect the position of nurses.

Having spent many years of my nursing career campaigning to improve the position of nurses pay and conditions of service, it seems to me that in the last 20 years, the government has managed to divide and conquer the profession.

The PRB appears to be past its sell by date and agenda for change, like clinical grading, was presented as the holy grail, but turned out to be a poisoned chalice, or have l missed something?


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