Indicative Ballot: Presentation for RCN members and staff

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Indicative BallotPresentation for RCN members
and staff
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Contents

• The story so far
• Timeline
• Context
• Council meeting next steps
• Ballot questions
• Ideas for potential action
• Position of other trade unions
• RCN response
• More information

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The story so far

• Government stage the PRB recommendation of 2.5
• RCN Congress 2007 rejected the staging of the pay
  award
• Congress asked Council to pursue full
  implementation of Review Body recommendations
• Congress voted to invoke Rule 12
• Council agreed on 16 May 2007 to run an
  indicative ballot
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Timeline

• Monday 16 July ballot forms start to be arrive
• Monday 6 August, 1200 pm ballot closes
• September 15 special delegate conference
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Context

• Inflation and interest ratesare high
• Government wants public sector pay rises kept low
• NHS reforms continuing
• NHS staff unhappy and dispirited
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Council meeting next steps

• Run an indicative ballot
• Indicative ballots test the waters
• Formal ballots are governed by legal process
• Seek members views on possible types of action
• Arrange a special delegate conference post ballot
• Brief members, reps and RCN staff
• Work closely with other trade unions
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Ballot questions

• Do you agree that the RCN should formally ballot
  members employed by the NHS on taking industrial
  action to achieve the full 2.5 pay award
  recommended by the Review Body for Nursing and
  Other Health Professions (NOHPRB)?
• If yes - Which types of industrial action would
  you be willing to support?
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Ideas for potential action

• Refusal to work overtime
• Refusal to work unpaid overtime either before or
  after a shift
• An insistence that breaks are taken as per
  Working Time Regulations
• Refusal to work bank or agency shifts
• Refusal to change shifts at short notice
• Refusal to attend training outside of working
  hours
• Refusal to cover shortages caused by annual leave
• Refusal to cover any shortages or gaps in service
  caused by others taking industrial action
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Position of other trade unions

• All NHS TUs have rejected 2007 pay staging
• NOHPRB 2.5 staged award
• PNC 2.5 offer
• Other unions are currently cleaning data or
  planning to ballot membership in September
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RCN response

• Promote the vote
• reject staged pay
• Iconsider industrial action options
• Get members thinking
• Check membership records
• Reps are key contact
• - What do you need?
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Find out more

• Go to www.rcn.org.uk/ballot for more information
  about the indicative ballot.
• Activists will receive promotional material
  posters, flyers and stickers the week before
  the ballot opens.
• Email rcncampaigns_at_rcn.org.uk.
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