Failure to act on NI nurses' pay risks strike action, Executive warned
In a pay consultation survey by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), almost 80% of respondents here say that the proposed pay award of 3.6% was not enough.
A previous 3.6% pay award that staff in England and Wales received has not been implemented here.
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Mr Nesbitt said he had directed the pay award, but it was stuck with the Executive.
'I share the Royal College of Nursing's (RCN) frustration at the fact that recommended pay increases for 2025-26 have still not been implemented,' he said today.
'In May, I announced that I was triggering the Ministerial Direction process to achieve delivery of these pay increases as soon as possible. That reflected my commitment to maintaining pay parity with England.
'In line with the Ministerial Direction process, my decision was referred to the wider Executive. Unfortunately, that's where it still sits.
'Our health workers deserve so much better.
'I note that the RCN is today saying that the 'first step must be for the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver the long-overdue pay award for this year.' I couldn't agree more.'
SDLP MLA Colin McGrath warned the Executive is risking strike action by failing to act on nurses' pay.
Speaking after meeting with the RCN on Thursday, Mr McGrath branded the situation as 'nothing short of a disgrace'.
"This 3.6% rise was agreed to help offset the cost of living, yet the Executive has failed to deliver it,' he said.
"The level of disrespect shown to our nurses should shame every party around that Executive table."
He added: Every day the Executive withholds nurses' hard-earned pay, anger and frustration grows and the risk of strike action becomes ever more real.'
Earlier, Professor Rita Devlin, the RCN's Northern Ireland executive director, said their members' vote is 'an overwhelming signal from our members that they feel undervalued and that meaningful change is needed in the nursing profession".
She added: 'Despite being told we deserve the same 3.6% pay award which nursing staff in England and Wales are already receiving, we have yet to have confirmation of when and indeed if this will happen. Make no mistake, inaction over pay will not be accepted.
'The HSC system in Northern Ireland is in urgent need of transformation, and the RCN is supportive of the Health Minister's reset plan. However, meaningful change will only be possible with the full involvement and leadership of nursing staff.
'Expecting an already exhausted and disillusioned workforce to invest their time and energy into this process without a fair pay award is both unreasonable and deeply disrespectful.
'Since 2019, nursing staff in Northern Ireland have shown they are willing to stand up for fair treatment — not only for themselves but for the patients they care for. The current pay system is broken, and we are demanding change.
'The first step must be for the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver the long-overdue pay award for this year, which should have been implemented in April.'
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