Following a period of negotiation with Manx Care in the months following, which also saw involvement from other Trade Unions, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), which is the largest nursing union on the Isle of Man, is now seeking a mandate from its members as to whether a new offer would be acceptable.
The new offer would see staff receive an additional unconsolidated lump sum of £300 in addition to the 4 per cent consolidated pay award (already paid) for 2021/22 and for 2022/23, staff are being offered a further 2 per cent consolidated pay increase in addition to the 4 per cent pay award which was applied to October 2022 salaries.
Estephanie Dunn, Regional Director for the RCN in the North West, said: “Once again we reach a point with Manx Care where we are obliged to consult with our members on the latest pay offer. I’m shocked and saddened that we are still at a point where our members feel so undervalued and underpaid on the Isle of Man that even the 2021/22 pay award agreement is outstanding.
“It’s taken over six months to once again reach a point where we have an offer for our members following their vote where the feeling was so strong that they told us they would be willing to take industrial action over their pay.
“In that time, staffing levels haven’t improved, agency bills are still phenomenally high, and recruitment and retention hasn’t improved. Staff are still overworked and underpaid. The important thing is that Manx Care are speaking with us, but it will be our membership who decide on whether the offer is good enough."
The survey runs from noon on Wednesday 8 March 2023 until 11.59pm on Wednesday 22 March 2023. All RCN members employed by Manx Care are eligible to vote and will receive an email.
The RCN will not be making a recommendation to members as the results will provide a mandate for how the membership want negotiations regarding their pay to continue.