Nurses in Dumfries and Galloway are set to go on strike for the first time in history.
Members of the Royal College of Nursing have voted for industrial action after rejecting a pay offer from the Scottish Government.
Union officials had been pushing for a pay offer five per cent above inflation – which is currently 10.1 per cent.
But Holyrood’s most recent offer is an across the board increase of £2,205.
The union claims nurses in every health board in Scotland have voted to strike, with action expected to take place before the end of the year.
Julie Lamberth, chairwoman of the RCN Scotland board, said: “NHS pay is a political choice and for Scottish Government ministers to suggest to nursing staff that fair pay should come at the expense of key services is insulting both to our members and the people of Scotland, who recognise that these services are already understaffed and rely on the goodwill of nursing staff to keep going.
“The Scottish Government needs to face up to the reality that their failure to focus on workforce planning and to properly value those working in health and social care over the last decade is the root cause of the staffing crisis we face.
“The result of our strike ballot is a wake-up call that must not be ignored.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “While I am naturally disappointed that the Royal College of Nursing has rejected this record pay offer and is now considering taking industrial action, I respect the mandate they have been given.
“For the lowest paid, our pay offer represents an above-inflation 11 per cent pay rise, and it will ensure our nurses remain the best paid in the UK.
“I have always stressed that regular dialogue is essential to help avoid industrial action and I am committed to ongoing discussions with trade union partners.
“We have already had to reprofile £400 million of health and social care funding to help with both inflationary costs and to meet pay demands.
“We have no more money for a further pay offer.
“There is a moral obligation on the UK Government, as the architects of the cost crisis we are facing, to provide further funding to the Scottish Government so we can mitigate the pressures caused by sky-rocketing inflation, and to help ensure we can offer our public sector workers the best pay deal possible.”
RCN members in Northern Ireland and all but one Welsh healthboard have also voted to strike.
