In a consultative survey on the 2022 pay award and 2023 incentive undertaken of RCN members employed by CPG from 5th to 23rd February 2023, the legal threshold for balloting was reached. Members said that they were prepared to take strike action.
The RCN’s elected Council has agreed that a statutory ballot asking members working for CPG if they would be willing to take strike action will take place from Monday 3 July and closes at 23.59 on Tuesday 25 July 2023.
In 2022/23, CPG made an initial 1% pay award to staff. However, they failed to negotiate with the trade unions and subsequently imposed a pay award backdated to 1 April 2022 of 4% for all operational health staff and qualified social workers; and 2% for all other staff. On 22 September 2022, 4% was subsequently awarded to all staff.
The ballot, which will arrive in the post in line with statutory legislation which means ballots of this kind have to be done on paper, asks members to select a yes or no answer. The ballot is being conducted by independent scrutineers, Mi-Voice Electoral Services. RCN members who are eligible to vote, those with CPG contracts, are being asked to return their voting papers in the pre-paid envelopes provided as soon as possible, in advance of the closing date. Any votes that are received after 25 July cannot be counted.
Sarah Dodsworth, Regional Director for the RCN in Yorkshire and the Humber, said:
“Our members have simply had enough. No longer can they continue to provide highly skilled, professional care in return for low wages and an ever-increasing workload.
“Year after year CPG have continued to impose below inflation pay awards on their committed and hard-working nursing staff. They have simply refused to negotiate with the RCN and other health unions on the 2021 and 2022 pay awards.
“Despite the fact that CPG delivers NHS services to people across North East Lincolnshire staff do not receive pay, terms and conditions that match Agenda for Change in the NHS. The social enterprise organisation continues to bury its head and completely ignores the burning issue of pay parity.
“The results of our pay surveys in 2022 and 2023 have given the RCN a mandate to act on our members behalf. It is now time for change and we are committed to winning fair pay for a profession that is so valuable to the community across North East Lincolnshire”.
