Can nurses strike in the UK?

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I'm doing a report on union policies in regard to strikes. I'm a bit lost at actually finding any specific policies on striking. RCN are very vague and talk a lot about the NMC in terms of strike. UNISON and Unite are pro strike but don't have details on the breadth of strike, e.g. whether staff nurses are legally allowed to strike. From what I thought, legally staff nurses cannot strike if they are shifted to work, and can definitely not have an all - out strike. The last strike that I do remember was in 2014, and all I was on placement at the time and pretty much all the nurses came in for work, albeit they were very sympathetic to the nurses who were picketing outside.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Anyone can strike in the UK but it has to be an official strike with backing from your union. RCN, Unison whatever.

RCN has (or had) a no strike agreement but this may change if the government keep mucking about.

In reality nurses would not abandon their patients and this is what allows government to walk all over us.

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Specializes in Critical care.

Didn't Unison participate in strike action recently? (As in a couple of years ago)

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Didn't Unison participate in strike action recently? (As in a couple of years ago)

They striked with nurses during October/November 2014 over a 1% pay rise. I was a first year student at the time, going to my first ever placement, so it was a very surreal introduction to nursing.

I remember RCN were very negative about nurses striking, they were making threats about suspension which I'm sure isn't in their remit.

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Specializes in Critical care.
They striked with nurses during October/November 2014 over a 1% pay rise. I was a first year student at the time, going to my first ever placement, so it was a very surreal introduction to nursing.

I remember RCN were very negative about nurses striking, they were making threats about suspension which I'm sure isn't in their remit.

I think the RCNs comments about striking then were more in reference to unison members striking, if RCN members were to have joined them when the RCN weren't striking it would have been a disciplinary matter for those RCN members.

The RCN are very anti striking, but I think when the government get round to trying to dilute AfC (which is on the cards after they've sorted the junior doctor dispute) then feelings may change.

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