Staff at the Nursing Standard have voted in favour of strike action in protest at a 0.75 per cent pay offer.
According to the NUJ some 95.7 per cent of their members in a high turnout ballot voted in favour of strike action.
NUJ national organiser Fiona Swarbrick said the offer reneges on a deal whereby management agreed that staff employed by Royal College of Nursing Publishing would be treated the same as those working directly for the Royal College of Nursing. Whereas RCN staff were offered a 1.5 per cent pay deal, RCN Publishing staff were – according to the NUJ – offer nothing and then 0.75 per cent.
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Swarbick said: 'The chapel made it clear from the outset that this is about a fair pay rise, not about how much that pay rise is. Had both RCN and RCN Publishing staff been offered 0 per cent, whilst disappointing, the chapel would have at least felt that they were being treated even-handedly."
RCN publishing managing director Rhonda Oliver, said: 'It is a matter of regret that RCN Publishing staff who are members of the NUJ have voted for strike action. Management is committed to acting in the long-term interests of staff and the publishing company itself.
'RCN Publishing is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal College of Nursing, however there is no contractual link between the terms and conditions of staff at each company.
'It is important to state that at no point did we rule out going to ACAS but it was important to follow our own agreed process first. The deal offered is fair and sustainable."
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