July 28 (UPI) -- As many as 500,000 National Health Service nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were on track to join resident doctors in taking industrial action over pay after voting to reject a 3.6% rise offered by the government.
The nurses rejected the offer "overwhelmingly" in a union ballot because it was below, not only that offered to their colleagues in Scotland and resident doctors and consultants, but also other public sector workers such as teachers, prison officers and the military, according to the BBC and The Telegraph.
The Royal College of Nursing had previously condemned the offer as "grotesque," complaining that it would be canceled out by consumer price inflation, which currently stands at 3.6%.
"The results will be announced to our members later this week. As the largest part of the NHS workforce, nursing staff do not feel valued and the government must urgently begin to turn that around," said the RCN.
Turnout was well over the 50% required to take strike action, but a final decision -- which would require another ballot -- would likely be delayed until the fall to allow time for negotiations with the government.
