The Royal College of Nursing could be willing to accept a 10% pay rise, with the union’s leader calling on the Government to meet it “halfway”. The general secretary of the Royal College for Nursing (RCN), Pat Cullen, has previously said the union’s demand for a 19% rise, dismissed by the Government as “unaffordable”, is simply a “starting point”, and that she would put any new offer to her members.
The PA news agency understands the union could be willing to accept a pay rise of about 10%. In an interview with Times Radio’s Past Imperfect podcast, reported by The Times, Ms Cullen said: “There is a rhetoric out there that says the Royal College of Nursing is unrealistic, it’s looking for something that’s totally unachievable, it’s looking for 19%.
“Now, I could sit here all day and tell you nurses’ pay has dropped by 20% over the last decade. Do I believe those nurses are entitled (to 19%)?
