Dumfries and Galloway’s nurses are preparing to take strike action in the new year.
Members of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, as well as the Royal College of Midwives, have rejected the latest pay offer from the Holyrood Government.
And the RCN union is now making plans for industrial action after the festive period.
RCN Scotland board chairwoman Julie Lamberth said: “It was the right thing to ask our members whether to accept or reject this offer. It directly affects their lives and each eligible member needed to be given the chance to have their say.
“And the result could not be clearer – we have forcefully rejected what the Scottish Government said is its ‘best and final’ offer.
“Make no mistake – we do not want to go on strike. Years of being undervalued and understaffed have left us feeling we have no alternative because enough is enough. The ball is in Scottish Government’s court if strike action is going to be avoided.
She added: “Members can be reassured that planning for strike action will be thorough. The safety of patients and of our members are paramount and we will be working hard to ensure that while any strike action is disruptive, it does not put patients or our members at risk.
Earlier this year, members of the two unions, as well as healthcare and ambulance workers in GMB Scotland, Unite and Unison, rejected the offer of a five per cent pay increase. A new deal was then tabled which represented an average increase of 7.5 per cent.
That was enough to convince Unison and Unite members to accept it, but GMB Scotland members rejected the offer.
On Wednesday, RCN Scotland revealed 82 per cent of its members who took part in a ballot voted to turn down the proposed deal. And 65 per cent of Royal College of Midwives members who took part also voted against the deal.
RCM director for Scotland, Jaki Lambert, said: “Our members have spoken loud and clear – the latest pay offer by the Scottish Government is simply not good enough.
“It goes nowhere near addressing the rising cost of living and would see many midwives actually worse off in real terms.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, who was due to meet with unions yesterday, said: “We have engaged tirelessly with trade union representatives over recent weeks and months, leaving no stone unturned to reach a record pay offer which responds to the key concerns of staff across the service.
“This best and final pay offer of over half a billion pounds underlines our commitment to supporting our fantastic NHS staff.
“A newly-qualified nurse and midwife would see a pay rise of 8.7 per cent, and experienced nurses and midwives would get uplifts of between £2,450 and £2,550.
“We are making this offer at a time of extraordinary financial challenges to the Scottish Government to get money into the pockets of hard-working staff and to avoid industrial action, in what is already going to be an incredibly challenging winter.
The strike action will be the first in Scotland in the 106-year history of the Royal College of Nursing, whose members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have already taken industrial action this month.
