Manx nurses confirm plans for 12-hour strike on 25 July

The dispute over pay has been going for two years

Nurses on the Isle of Man will take strike action later this month in a row over pay, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has confirmed.

Manx Care workers will stage a 12-hour walk-out from 08:00 BST on 25 July.

It follows the rejection of the employer's final offer of a 6% pay rise and £1,000 lump-sum payment.

The industrial action will follow a planned protest march which is due to be held in Douglas on Tuesday morning.

The dispute over nurses pay between the health care provider and the 550 RCN members who work for it has been going on for two years.

Last month about 46% of the union's members responded to a ballot on whether they would be willing to take strike action, with 80% backing the move.

About 73% of members rejected Manx Care's final offer, in a decision that happened at the same time as the strike ballot.

A spokeswoman for the union said Tuesday's planned peaceful demonstration was not part of the industrial action and was open to RCN members who were not rostered to work at the time, as well as supportive members of the public.

The march will start at Noble's Hospital in Braddan at 09:15 BST before heading to Villiers Square, just off Douglas Promenade, visiting the Tynwald buildings along the way.

Manx Care and the Department of Health and Social Care have been contacted for a response.