Northern Ireland

Healthcare workers vote to end strike action

Director of the Royal College of Nursing Pat Cullen pictured with staff on the picket line outside the Mater Hospital, Belfast last December, Picture by Mal McCann
Director of the Royal College of Nursing Pat Cullen pictured with staff on the picket line outside the Mater Hospital, Belfast last December, Picture by Mal McCann Director of the Royal College of Nursing Pat Cullen pictured with staff on the picket line outside the Mater Hospital, Belfast last December, Picture by Mal McCann

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members have voted to accept proposals to restore pay parity with the NHS in England and implement a series of measures to improve safe staffing for nurses working in the HSC.

The vote brings to an end unprecedented strike action which saw thousands of healthcare workers form picket lines across the north.

Pat Cullen, Director of the RCN in Northern Ireland, said: "The past few months have been among the most turbulent and pressurised that nurses have ever seen. It was unprecedented, not just in Northern Ireland, but for RCN members anywhere to go on strike. Nurses had come to the conclusion that in order to protect patients, they had no choice. 

“This was neither an easy decision, nor one that was taken lightly. As I stood on picket lines with my colleagues, we felt the weight of the health service and the people of Northern Ireland on our shoulders, but we knew it was the right thing to do – for patients. 

“While RCN members have spoken clearly in accepting this offer, we are also clear that we need to see all of the measures that have been agreed by Health Minister Robin Swann implemented in full. Safe staffing was the central part of our dispute and for the sake of those who use the service, and those who work in it, we must get this right."

Speaking in Belfast on Monday, Anne Speed from Unison, speaking on behalf of all trade unions, said: "Having separate consultations with our members, health trade unions have accepted the proposals on pay parity and safe staffing that have been endorsed by the Health Minister and the Executive in January.

"The trade unions have informed the minister and the department of health of our collective acceptance and the proposals and we will now work with the department of health to implement the agreement on pay and deliver all aspects of safe staffing agreed in the framework document.

"It has been a very difficult period of industrial action for our members and that has not been without hardship but they have given us the mandate to agree to these proposals by secret ballot.

"It is now the responsibility of the Department of Health to ensure that the pay agreement is implemented swiftly."

Anne Speed from Unison said: "Leaders must also ensure pressure must be exerted to take forward proposals on safe staffing levels as quickly as possible to ease the significant pressure on staff, to fill those permanent vacancies that have occurred.

"We are trying our hardest to deliver with them and with the Department of Health so this will be the big programme of work in the coming months.

"This afternoon, we are starting that with a serious discussion on agency spend. We have a commitment from the department on principle on reducing agency spend and staffing so we will be looking into the detail around that this afternoon."

Ms Speed said: "We expect the money to be in the bank very shortly and I think when that happens you can say pay matters have been resolved for the next two years. After that, we are not sure what will happen.

"On safe staffing, I think we have to see more detail in the delivery. We have to work as well with the department at developing that strategy so action on safe staffing will be put in cold storage for the moment.

"Should there be any difficulties where we can't actually deliver, then we may find ourselves back at the negotiation table, negotiating on those issues. But, we're acting on good faith so you could say with safe staffing - there is still a pathway to go."

Royal College of Midwives (RCM) members in Northern Ireland have voted overwhelmingly to accept the Framework Agreement negotiated by the RCM and other unions for HSC staff.

The RCM's Northern Ireland Director Karen Murray said: "We fought for this positive Framework Agreement for our members and negotiated hard for pay parity with our colleagues in England and we got it.

"Our members have now voted to accept it. This is a significant victory for midwives, maternity support workers and their colleagues."