The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) today announced it would ballot its members over industrial action in protest at the government's decision to postpone part of this year's pay award.
This is the first time the college has held a ballot for nationwide industrial action since it was founded in 1916. Although the college's 300,000 members are only allowed to take industrial action that is not detrimental to patient care, a yes vote could still have major consequences for the NHS.
The RCN estimates that around 173,000 NHS nurses work an average of more than six hours unpaid overtime - equivalent to more than 1m hours of unpaid overtime - every week.
The college said the cost of covering this work with agency nurses would be a minimum of £13m per week.
The ballot comes in response to chancellor Gordon Brown's decision to withhold part of a 2.5% pay award recommended by the nurses' and midwives' pay review body. He let them have 1.5% in April and will pay a further 1% in November, saving the Treasury £60m in 2007/8.
The RCN general secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said the decision to hold a ballot was not taken lightly.
But he added that nurses could not be expected to accept such an "unacceptable" pay deal.
He said: "Nurses are dedicated public servants who work hard and play by the rules. So, when we end up in a situation where nurses are forced to talk about industrial action, then we know that they have been pushed to the limit. This is a ludicrous position to find ourselves in and I urge the government to meet with us immediately to resolve this situation."
The decision to hold a ballot by the RCN's ruling council followed an overwhelming vote for industrial action at the college's annual conference last month, with 95% in favour.
A Department of Health spokesman said: "We understand the frustrations the RCN is expressing on behalf of members about the 2007-08 pay offer but staging was essential to align with the government's inflation target.
"Clearly, any ballot for industrial action is a matter for the RCN but the government is maintaining a dialogue with the RCN and other unions to seek a resolution following the 2007/8 pay award."
The RCN is not known for its radicalism but the college has taken a much harder line with the government in recent years. In 2006, the health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, was heckled and jeered at the college's annual conference.
