Nurses in Northern Ireland have voted to strike over staffing numbers and pay disputes

Following a ballot, nurses in Northern Ireland have for the first time in the history of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) voted to take industrial action. 

Nurse’s pay in Northern Ireland has fallen behind pay in England, Scotland and Wales, according to the RCN, with the real value of nurses’ pay down 15% over the past eight years. The shortage of nurses has led to a high use of agency nurses, which cost over £32 million last year, according to the RCN.

The union now has four weeks to inform employers how they plan to proceed. If strike action goes ahead it could coincide with the election campaign.

Full story in BBC News, 7 November 2019