District nurses in Glasgow have told their union they are prepared to go on strike in a dispute over their pay banding.
In an indicative ballot run by union the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), 98% of its district nurse members employed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said they are willing to take industrial action, including going on strike.
It comes weeks after district nurses staged a protest outside health board offices, accusing their employer of failing to follow nationally agreed job evaluation processes leaving them feeling underpaid and undervalued.
RCN says the results show ‘their strength of feeling’ over the way they have been treated by the health board.
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The union will now consider the result and the next steps, including a formal statutory ballot for strike action – the legal requirements before industrial action can take place.
Commenting on the result of the indicative ballot, Barbara Sweeney, Senior RCN Officer, said:
“Our members have expressed their deep dissatisfaction and anger at the way they have been treated by the health board. Industrial action is always a last resort but make no mistake, our members have overwhelmingly indicated they are willing to stand up for their rights and withdraw their labour.
“NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has had many opportunities to do the right thing for its district nursing teams. It has failed to follow the nationally-agreed job evaluation processes, despite a new job description having been agreed between the trade unions and employer almost two years ago. Our members clearly feel they have been left with no choice.”
The dispute with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde centres on district nurses working at band 6 of the Agenda for Change pay scale.
The union says their skills, expertise and responsibilities justify a higher grade and pay.
An updated job description for the role was agreed in partnership with district nurses back in 2023, but has not yet been evaluated by the health board – a necessary steps for nurses to be moved to band 7.
Ms Sweeney says the only way NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde can now avoid strike action is by moving forward with this procedure:
“The health board can avoid a strike by respecting the nationally-agreed process, evaluating their job description and respecting the outcome. The knowledge and skills and the job that these district nurses do now for their patients and the community merits no less.”
“We will continue to press NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and lobby the Scottish government for the right solution to this dispute. In the meantime, we have no choice but to move towards a formal ballot for strike action unless the health board changes its stance.”
The Scottish government is also in formal dispute with BMA Scotland, over GP funding.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been approached for comment.
Earlier this summer the board told the Glasgow Times it ‘deeply values’ district nurses and ‘appreciates and understands the frustration’ over the time the job evaluation process has taken, a spokesperson adding:
“This has been a complex matter, and we recognise the impact that the process to date has had on staff morale.
“To help bring this to a conclusion as quickly and effectively as possible, we recently undertook a rapid review of the process to date and sought expert advice to ensure we are taking the right steps forward.”
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