Isle of Man nurses vote to accept pay offer
Nurses on the Isle of Man have voted to accept a pay offer for 2023-24, possibly signalling the end of a set of lengthy pay disputes.
Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) voted by an overwhelming majority (75%), in a consultative ballot, to accept a 6% pay rise from the island government-funded health and social care organisation Manx Care.
“We now must see our members receive this pay rise as soon as possible”
Estephanie Dunn
This deal would be, if other unions on the island also accept it, implemented with backpay to April 2023 and on top of other pay increases agreed with Manx Care in recent months dating to previous financial years.
Estephanie Dunn, regional director for RCN North West, said she was pleased with the result of the ballot and aired hopes other unions would follow suit to end the dispute.
However, the union said it was still “concerned” that Manx Care’s offer did not explicitly pledge backpay to those who have left Manx Care since April 2023.
“Thank you to those members who took the time to vote, it’s really important that we have a strong voice so that our response is clear to the employer,” said Ms Dunn.
“I am pleased that we have reached a resolution quickly to this offer however, we now await the results of the other union surveys to see if the majority has accepted.
“We now must see our members receive this pay rise as soon as possible.”
Regarding backpay for staff who have left the organisation, Ms Dunn said: “We encourage them to submit an appeal to Manx Care so that they can be considered for backpay for the time they worked there.
“They have worked the hours and deserve to be paid at the full rate they should have been paid anyway, plus any pension contributions, had this offer been received and accepted before the pay year commenced.”
This pay offer came after RCN members on the island took strike action across 2023 on the 2022-23 pay deal.
Manx Care has been contacted for further comment.
News of a possible end to this pay dispute came amid strike action elsewhere in the UK.
In Northern Ireland, nurses took part in national public sector strikes in January to protest their lack of a 2023-24 pay deal.
Meanwhile, the possibility of further industrial action by nurses in England has been floated after it was revealed the 2024-25 NHS pay deal would be late.
