Nurses working at England’s health and care regulator have voted to accept an improved pay award for 2022-23, meaning industrial action will end.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said today that 51% of eligible members working at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) took part in its online consultation, with 61% voting that the improved pay award was acceptable enough to resolve the pay dispute.
“This award only skims the surface of restoring the pay they’ve lost through below inflation pay awards over the years”
Barry Hutchinson
As a result, the industrial dispute between the union and the CQC for the 2022-23 pay year will now end, and members have been asked to stop industrial action with immediate effect.
The pay offer consisted of a £1,500 non-consolidated payment to go on top of the pay award imposed in December 2022 that provided increases of between 2.75% and 3.75%, depending on grade.
The RCN said the CQC would pay the full lump sum to staff this month but would make staged payments to any staff who have requested so due to personal circumstances.
The improved offer arrived following three months of RCN industrial action at the CQC.
Since 17 April 2023, members had been engaged in action short of strike, which has seen them working strictly to their terms and conditions, or ‘working to rule’.
RCN national officer Barry Hutchinson said that members had “decided the way forward” and that the union would now “refocus” its attention to the 2023-24 pay award, which will be announced in a matter of weeks.
Mr Hutchinson said: “Members have shown great strength during this dispute and their action resulted in an improved pay award.
“But this award only skims the surface of restoring the pay they’ve lost through below inflation pay awards over the years, and the pay they need to keep health and social care services – and ultimately patients – safe.
“While change does not happen overnight, it does happen when members are as mobilised and determined as we are.
“The RCN will never walk away for as long as members are denied the fair pay, terms and conditions they need and deserve for the vital jobs they do.”
The CQC was contacted for comment.