Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on the Isle of Man are striking today (September 14) amongst an ongoing battle for fair pay and better conditions.
The nurses walked out of Nobles Hospital at 8am and will be striking until 8pm and have said they are prepared to do this until an agreement is reached.
Health Care Assistants on the Island have starting pay of £11.23, which is under the Isle of Mans Living Wage allowance for 2023/24.
The Isle of Man Government document states that for 2023/24 Living Wage for the IOM “stands at £12.01 per hour”, this is a rise of £0.96 compared with the Isle of Man Living Wage for 2022/23 (£11.05 per hour).
Nurses told Energy FM that the claims the industrial action will put patients at risks is false, as a staffing plan has been put in place which has secured enough staff on each ward.
The nurses highlighted that the working conditions are below standard with levels of understaffing and long hours.
David Kirwin, RCN Operational Manager said that the RCN would like to see Manx Care make an argument for the Islands nurses to treasury to ensure fair pay to enable better staffing and safer wards.
The RCN plan to take further industrial action for 12 hours on October 18 and 19.
