NHS nurses strike may come to an end next week according to union leader

The Royal College of Nursing’s (RCN) ballot on further industrial action will close on 23 June, but the union is uncertain if enough members will be able to get their postal votes in on time. 

Under the Trade Union Act 2016, at least 50% of union members must vote in a postal ballot for its result to stand – equivalent to more than 150,000 RCN members.

The RCN’s General Secretary, Pat Cullen, admitted that the strike would “hit the end of the road” unless the 50% voting threshold is reached despite having confidence that the vote would show support for further strikes.   

Secure online voting was used to select a new Conservative prime minister last year, so it is clear they just want to make it harder for working people to have their voices heard

Pat Cullen, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nurses (RCN)

She told the Guardian: “Secure online voting was used to select a new Conservative prime minister last year, so it is clear they just want to make it harder for working people to have their voices heard.” 

The RCN launched its first national strike in December 2022, calling for a 19% pay rise as nurses’ wages had fallen in real terms by 20% since the Conservative Party came to power in 2010. 

After the RCN and other health unions went on further strikes in January and February, the NHS Staff Council voted to accept a pay deal, including a 5% pay rise for 2023-24 and a one-off payment of at least £1,655 on top of the pay rise in the previous year.   

The RCN rejected the deal, so it voted to strike again in April and May which was deemed illegal by the High Court. These strikes affected 11 NHS trusts in the West Midlands. 

The results of the ballot will be announced next week.