The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Northern Ireland says it’s pressing the Government for progress on an overdue pay award for its members.
Midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) in Northern Ireland were due their pay uplift on 1 April and the RCM says its completely ‘unfair’ that its members remain in limbo.
The RCM alongside colleagues from other HSC trade unions last week met with the Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt to press for immediate progress, with the RCM saying the delay is eroding staff morale, particularly as there have been announcements for members in all other parts of the UK.
Commenting, the RCM’s Director for Northern Ireland, Karen Murray says;
“Midwives and MSWs in Northern Ireland remain the only RCM members in the UK to have not yet had an announcement regarding their pay award. We are at a stage now whereby members in England and Scotland will be receiving their up lift during October and November, but our members here have had no progress on pay this year. We have met with the Minster alongside other health service trade unions and expressed our frustration and called again for pay parity to be maintained.”
The RCM says the Minister’s response left them in no doubt that the ongoing deficit in the funding available for the health service in Northern Ireland was a key issue in the delay of this years pay award. However, the Minster indicated a wish and preference that pay parity should be maintained
How this overdue pay rise will be funded is also of concern says the RCM, as the Secretary of State Hilary Benn has already said that there will be no ‘new money’.
Karen added:
“We have told the Minster that even if the UK October budget includes additional health funding, the Northen executive will be forced to spend 2025 money in 2024 thereby perpetuating the problem. Pay is a crucial lever in retaining staff and given the current pressures facing midwifery staff across Northern Ireland, what we don’t want to see is staff leaving services, but right now some are considering doing just that because they don’t feel valued.”
The RCM has said it will continue pushing for more engagement from the Government when it comes to not only pay, but the wider issues that are impacting its members., The RCM, as part of HSC trade unions, will meet again with the Minister in November and update members on its progress.
