Nurses on the Isle of Man are being asked what pay offer they would accept in order to avert strike action.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) this week launched a survey of its members employed by Manx Care, the island’s NHS equivalent, asking them what they would consider a fair 2024-25 pay deal to be.
“Both the [RCN] and Manx Care are keen to find a way forward that is beneficial for all concerned”
Simon Browes
The RCN’s Isle of Man members have been disputing this pay deal since it was first tabled last year, which offered a 4% pay rise with back pay for all current Manx Care staff.
The deal has since been implemented, but RCN members made it clear, via a ballot which closed last month, that they would be willing to strike if improvements to it were not made.
One of the union’s key concerns over the 2024-25 offer was that it failed to cover back pay for nursing staff who left the organisation before the pay deal was in place.
Since the last ballot, further negotiations between the RCN and Manx Care have taken place.
On Wednesday (23 April), the RCN opened its survey, which has asked members to vote on a “range of potential percentage increases” for pay, on top of the 4% which they have already received.
The survey also asked them if they would be willing to reject any pay offer if the issue of back pay for workers who have left Manx Care was not addressed.
An RCN spokesperson told Nursing Times that a strike “is not off the table but is a last resort”.
“We could proceed for a formal ballot which could result in the strike action if our members don’t receive a meaningful offer following this process,” they said.
Simon Browes, regional director for RCN North West, added: “Both the [RCN] and Manx Care are keen to find a way forward that is beneficial for all concerned.
“However, we are clear that nursing staff have been historically undervalued and that they not only deserve pay which reflects the skill and responsibilities of their roles, but to ensure that patients are no longer being put at risk due to the staffing crisis on the island.
“We would urge every member to have their say to help to build a better future for nurses and patients on the Isle of Man.”
The survey will close on Wednesday, 7 May.
A Manx Care spokesperson told Nursing Times it remained “in close dialogue” with the RCN, and that it saw the survey as a “helpful step” towards “constructive” talks between the two organisations.
“Our goal is to continue these discussions in a collaborative manner to resolve the ongoing pay dispute,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the RCN confirmed to Nursing Times that a 2025-26 pay offer has not yet been made.
