The union is reportedly looking to share the results with members by “the start of next week”.
The Royal College of Nursing‘s (RCN) first-ever nationwide strike ballot has now formally closed.
More than 300,000 RCN members have been urged to vote for strike action over the past four weeks, and the union is reportedly looking to share the results with members by “the start of next week”.
A senior source from inside the union confirmed to NursingNotes that internal forecasting concluded that while areas have met the legal turnout threshold for industrial action, some have not.
However, the ballot was carried out at an employer level rather than a national level. This means the union can still give the green light to strike action for employers who managed to pass the ballot thresholds.
Members were eligible to vote if they work for an NHS employer on an Agenda for Change contract in England, Scotland or Wales, or if they work for the HSC in Northern Ireland.
Your vote is your voice.
A recent analysis found that nursing staff are essentially working one day a week for free each month.
Speaking about the ballot, RCN General Secretary & Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said: “I want to thank members for taking the time to vote in this historic ballot.
“Your
Ms Cullen continued, “There has never been a more crucial time to fight for safe staffing and fair pay. Our NHS is on the precipice due to chronic staff shortages. Our profession is being pushed to the edge, with patient safety paying the price.
“None of us wants to take industrial action but we’ve been forced into this position after a decade of real-terms pay cuts.
“We can’t stand by and watch our colleagues and patients suffer anymore. Enough is enough.”
