Isle of Man nurses asked for views on revised Manx Care pay offer

The vote on the new offer closed on 22 March

Nurses on the Isle of Man are being asked to vote on a new pay offer put forward by Manx Care.

The latest proposal would see a 2% pay increase on top of a 4% rise applied to salaries from October 2022.

In August, 83% of Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members surveyed described the health operator's previous pay offer as "unacceptable".

Estephanie Dunn from the union said staff were "still overworked and underpaid".

Negotiations have been ongoing for almost two years, with the RCN and other nursing unions originally seeking a 15% rise.

The initial offer from Manx Care was 1% was later increased to a 4% rise for both 2021-22 and 2022-23 to all health care staff on Manx Pay Terms and Conditions contracts.

Under the new deal, nurses would also receive an additional unconsolidated lump sum of £300 for 2021-22.

Last year's survey, which heard the views of 75% of the RCN's island membership, saw 55% support strike action over the dispute.

Ms Dunn said she was "shocked and saddened" it had taken six months to negotiate the new 6% offer, leaving members feeling "undervalued and underpaid".

In that time "staffing levels haven't improved, and recruitment and retention hasn't improved" and RCN members now had the opportunity to decide whether the deal was "good enough", she added.

Manx Care previously said it was eager "to seek a constructive resolution" in the pay dispute.

The RCN ballot on the offer closes on 22 March.