A chara, - The above pay deal was for £37 million and not for £40 million as is now reported.
Some of the basic reasons why the deal was rightly turned down are as follows: One group of matrons will have 48p take home increase. To obtain this great sum they will lose their premium weekend and bank holiday pay. Combined with this loss they would actually have less money than their assistant matron, the ward sister and some staff nurses at the top rate of pay.
The same reasons will pertain to other grades of staff. There is no incentive to seek promotion and why should any nurse take on extra responsibilities when she will suffer a drop in her salary? Also, if at this moment in time you are at the max of your salary you do not automatically go to the max of the new scale on offer - you have to climb the increment ladder again - this means that some staff who are years on their max retiring without ever receiving the top wage.
The take home pay is what counts and for all the millions bandied about few nurses would have more than £1 extra take home pay with the new deal. Some nurses are better off as they are and the new offer would leave them with less money. The list of concessions the nurses had to concede for the rise was another matter - it would amount to selling our rights for 40 pieces of copper. When nurses compare the top grades in the clerical side of the health service and other relevant professions and observe the hours, pay and travel expenses that they can earn and also listen to the Government explain why they need millions of pounds for their advisors etc., can you really blame them turning down the pay deal?
I would say to the Minister - have a re think and give a decent offer to all grades instead of expecting the ward sisters upwards to finance the well deserved top scale for staff nurses. Do not tamper with the premium pay of the directors of nursing/matrons and consider some perks in the form of extra holidays for every three years worked etc.
Above all, the early retirement issue is years awaiting consideration. Now is the time to show some compassion to a profession who for decades are overworked and most definitely underpaid. - Yours, etc.,
McSwiney Street,
Dundalk.