Charlie Kennedy, RCN member
As a nurse it is fantastic to see the fight for a fair and inflation-busting pay rise will continue.
The outcome of the RCN’s pay offer ballot has shown that nurses will not be bought off. Despite the pressure from our union leaders to accept it, we stood by our beliefs and showed that power comes in numbers.
So strong is the mood of members to keep fighting, that the RCN leaderhsip is standing up to the Tories and employers in court.
We are fighting for the future of the NHS. Alongside the junior doctors, we are fighting to return to the world-leading nationalised service that attracted workers and supported them in delivering a high standard of patient care.
The vote to reject the 5% pay offer and one-time payment has demonstrated that we will not stand down. Now is the time to secure the future of our NHS before we let it fall further into austerity and privatisation.
The RCN plans to run a continuous 48-hour strike that will remove all derogations (agreements to provide a certain level of cover). Intensive care units and Accident and Emergency will therefore be included.
The intention of this strike is to demonstrate how central nursing professionals are to the NHS.
We want to be respected for the hard and difficult work that we put in and the toll that this takes on us. We want our patients to have safe staffing levels all the time and a properly funded NHS.
We cannot let the NHS become further privatised and closer to the American system, where only those with money can afford safe healthcare.
Many nurses now feel striking is the only option. We must use the coming weeks to demonstrate to all workers that change is possible if we stand united. We will not stop until we are respected for our labours.
We need to create a system that works for the 99%, not the 1%. Now is the time for real socialist change, so stand alongside us in fighting for our NHS!
