Over 300,000 nurses across the UK will begin voting today on whether to stage industrial action.
In the Royal Collage of Nursing's biggest-ever strike ballot in its 106-year history, members of the union are being asked to vote 'yes' to strike action.
Explaining why the historic ballot is going ahead, RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive Pat Cullen said: “We are understaffed, undervalued and underpaid. For years our profession has been pushed to the edge, and now patient safety is paying the price.
"We can’t stand by and watch our colleagues and patients suffer anymore.
“Though strike action is a last resort, it is a powerful tool for change. And we must demand that change. Enough is enough. I urge you to vote ‘yes’ in this ballot.”
The vote comes amid warnings that a shortage of nurses is putting patients at risk as fed-up staff quit the profession, and independent analysis by consultancy London Economics shows that average weekly pay for nurses fell by 6% in real terms between 2011 and 2021.
As they vote on whether to stage a mass walkout, here's how much nurses in the UK are earning.
Are nurses going on strike in the UK?
Nurses in the UK could be going on strike if the majority of the RCN's members vote yes in the current ballot.
In England, Scotland and Wales, the law states that for strike action to be lawful the ballot must attract a turnout of at least 50% and the majority must vote yes.
Pat Cullen assured RCN members that if strike action goes ahead, it would be safe and legal, adding: “At all times it will be legal, responsible and put patient safety first.
"We went on strike safely in Northern Ireland for the future of nursing. Patients were protected and we achieved pay parity. We can do it again.”
How much do nurses get paid?
Last year, the Royal College of Nursing estimated that the average annual salary of an NHS nurse is £33,384.
In July, the government announced a pay award of at least 4.5% for most NHS staff in England and Wales, which it said gave many workers a £1,400 pay rise, bringing the average salary now closer to around £35,000.
Pay for nurses in the UK operates based on a banding system, with each band determining the level of pay for the role.
Newly qualified nurses are on Band 5 and this means that they are currently paid £27,055 per year. As they gain more years of experience nurses' pay can go up, with a Band 5 nurse with over seven years of experience being paid £32,934.
Nurses can climb up through the bands by becoming more qualified and taking on roles with more responsibility, such as nursing specialists, nurse practitioners, chief nurses and consultants. These roles often require further training and education.
The RCN are campaigning for a pay rise of 5% above inflation "to overcome a decade of real-terms pay cuts, support nursing staff through the cost-of-living crisis and recognise their safety critical skills".
Inflation is currently at 9.9% and this means that the 4.5% pay award given earlier this year is still a significant real terms pay cut after inflation.
A below-inflation NHS pay offer in Scotland was also rejected by the union, and HSC staff in Northern Ireland are still waiting for a pay announcement.
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