NEWS: RCN members support pensions Day of Action

RCN members up and down the country will be supporting today's Day of Action in protest against planned changes to public sector pensions.

Members will be showing their support for fair pensions by attending marches, demonstrations and protests during their breaks and outside work hours. RCN Chief Executive Dr Peter Carter will be visiting several events.

If current pensions negotiations fail by the end of December, the RCN's governing Council will meet in January to authorise a ballot on industrial action.

Fast actions

The RCN has also released a list of things that members can do during Day of Action if they are too busy to attend an event in person.

The list, divided according to whether members have five, ten or 30 minutes or more, includes key actions that will help spread the word on the important day.

The tools include downloading and sharing key leaflets with fellow members and the public, promoting the Day of Action on social media sites like Facebook and sharing important guidance on what members can and can't do.

Visit the fast actions page now.

Advice for members

The RCN has issued advice for members who are participating in the Day of Action.

The College is actively supporting members to take part in marches, demonstrations and protests planned for the day. But as the RCN has not balloted to take industrial action on the day itself, there are a number of important issues that members need to take into account.

“It is important that RCN members are able to support the action while keeping themselves safe,” said RCN Head of Employment Relations Josie Irwin. “Attend work as normal as failure to do so is likely to be a breach of contract and remember to report any difficulties in delivering patient care to your line manager and your RCN representative immediately.”

The RCN advises that RCN members can support the action before or after work or during planned breaks on or off work property but says that it is essential that members on the NMC register fulfil the duties placed them by the NMC Code of Conduct

Josie added: “Although you may be obliged to carry out any reasonable, contractual requirements of your employer, don’t cover the work of colleagues undertaking industrial action or join an official picket line. Your presence at workplace events must be kept separate from an official picket which much be no more than six people taking official action.”

The RCN has produced a poster to remind RCN members what they can do on the day. Download Public sector pensions – TUC Day of Action golden rules for members (PDF 104KB) [see how to access PDF files].

Members are asked to send in any photos from the Day of Action.