The Jersey Nursing Association said members were ‘despondent and struggling’ and that a failed six-year battle to achieve a fair pay deal had left staff demoralised, with some considering leaving the Island to work in the UK.
The association is now inviting all nurses, midwives and nursing assistants employed by the States of Jersey, whether or not they are members of a trade union, to sign a letter which will be sent to senior management to highlight their discontent.
The move follows the collapse of talks, earlier this year, for a ‘modernised’ public sector pay deal. Instead, a pay package was imposed on the public sector. It meant nurses received a 2.5 per cent pay rise.
Jason Cronin, branch secretary of the Jersey Nursing Association, said: ‘Nurses have been trying to work with the employer since before 2012 to try to bring equality to all professionals working in similar roles with similar responsibilities across health and community services. While the employer will state that nurses have had higher increases than colleagues in other professions over these years, nurses are still paid approximately eight to ten per cent less than our colleagues doing similar roles.’
He says that nurses feel consistently ignored and undervalued, adding that there is a crisis in recruitment and high levels of nurses are leaving the profession locally.
Mr Cronin said: ‘We all know that Jersey is an expensive place to live. Nurses are packing up and returning to the UK where, with recent pay rises, the difference in some equivalent grades is around £5,000. Morale is low. Staff are despondent and struggling. Many have weeks or months of time owing accrued through short-staffed workplaces as they make up for vacant positions, or lack of investment in services.’
The frustration was exacerbated by reports that some health workers, including social workers and occupational therapists, had been given a ‘secret’ pay deal last November, he said.
‘Recently, more than 300 nurses filled the town to voice their concerns over the secret pay rise given to some allied healthcare professionals and the failed workforce modernisation offer. The meeting indicated that they lacked the confidence in the States Employment Board and would consider some form of industrial action if the nurses’ concerns and plight isn’t addressed in a timely manner. Nurses marched through town a few years ago to demonstrate their plight, yet nothing has changed.’
