Industrial action is being considered by nurses in the Isle of Man as part of a pay dispute with health chiefs.
The Isle of Man’s largest nursing trade union is balloting members to determine its next steps.
The Royal College of Nursing’s elected council is organising a consultative ballot will take place with members working for Manx Care between March 1 and March 17.
It will ask them whether a final pay offer of 4% for 2021-22 from Manx Care is acceptable, or not.
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Trade unions in the Isle of Man have been in negotiations since May 2021 with Manx Care presenting the unions with several offer ranging from the original 1%.
The staff side proposal was a 15% consolidated pay increase plus the one-off payment.
Should the result from this ballot present a mandate from members to reject the offer. It will not authorise industrial action, but the union says it will be used to ’inform’ the next steps.
Carmel O’Boyle, chair of the RCN’s North West Regional Board said: ’Manx Care employees have been left hanging for months about the in-year pay offer.
’This new offer from Manx Care is more encouraging but there is still a long way to go to meet the original 15% requested.
’In this time staff have seen their cost-of-living soar and demand on services increase with inadequate staffing levels in place.
’We should not be in a situation where nurses are overworked and burnt-out. It is unsafe to operate such major services with such poor staffing levels.’
Mary-Anne Parkinson, RCN senior regional officer for the Isle of Man, said: ’This should have been a year to finally recognise the skill, expertise, and immense contribution of all nursing staff by rewarding them with a pay lift which would also go some way to bridging the staffing gaps by making the Isle of man an attractive place to come and work.
’I urge all those employed by Manx Care to respond to the RCN’s ballot when it is launched, it’s really important and take minutes to complete a vote.
We really need to make a stand for the good of the profession. If nurses do nothing, nothing will change. We won’t stand still on this pay offer, we are fighting for a fair pay offer.’