Pat Cullen: Nursing union calls for double-digit pay rise to restart talks

The leader of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has called on the health secretary to restart pay negotiations with a proposed rise in double digits.

Nurses in England are due to get a 5% pay rise after the majority of health unions accepted a government pay offer - but RCN members rejected the deal.

Speaking to the Times, union boss Pat Cullen praised her "courageous" members and urged ministers to reopen talks.

A source from the Department of Health told the BBC the pay offer was final.

Having initially pushed for a 19% pay rise, Ms Cullen later called for RCN union members to accept the government's 5% pay offer, but they refused the pay deal by 54% to 46%.

The nursing union will now ballot for further strike action later this month.

In an interview with the Times, Ms Cullen said: "Looking back on this pay offer, I may personally have underestimated the members and their sheer determination."

She called on Health Secretary Steve Barclay to reopen negotiations which she said needed to "start off in double figures".

Ministers owe it to nurses "not to push them to have to do another six months of industrial action right up to Christmas," she added.

Nurses in England went on strike for 24 hours on 1 May - it was the first time RCN members walked out of all areas, including intensive care.

They also took industrial action on two other occasions earlier this year on 6 and 7 February and on 18 and 19 January.

Speaking ahead of the annual RCN congress in Brighton, Ms Cullen said she was "proud" of RCN members.

She praised their "selflessness" for rejecting the government's pay offer and losing pay on strike days to "stand up for the NHS".

"Nurses believe it's their duty and their responsibility because this government is not listening to them on how to bring it back from the brink and the message to the prime minister is that they are absolutely not going to blink first in these negotiations," she added.

It is not the first time the RCN has asked for a double-digit pay increase, as it originally demanded a 19% pay rise last year.

The RCN had called for a rise of 5% above the RPI inflation rate, which stood at above 14% at the time, but no UK nation has offered close to that.

The deal, which includes nurses in England, also entails a one-off payment of at least £1,655. It means all staff will now receive extra pay.

Some unions rejected the offer, including the RCN and Unite, but it was accepted after a majority was reached. Both unions warned they would continue to pursue strike action.

Asked in the paper why nurses warrant a larger increase than other healthcare workers, she said: "It's not so long ago since the prime minister went on the media and very publicly said nurses are an exception."

"I would totally agree with him... they should be made an exception because they are exceptional people."

A government source said the health secretary's door was open for discussions about how to make the NHS a better place to work and it was getting the money into staff pay packets as soon as possible.

"It is time to move on from industrial actions and work together to deliver for patients," added the health department source.

Nurses in Wales are set to strike this summer after rejecting the Welsh government's latest pay offer.