A large majority of Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members employed by Manx Care have expressed their willingness to take strike action after rejecting the latest pay offer from the island’s healthcare provider.

In an indicative ballot, 70% of those who voted indicated they would consider industrial action following the rejection of a 4% pay increase for the 2024/25 period.

Manx Care's offer, which was tabled in November 2024, included a 4% pay uplift, effective from 1 April 2024, for staff employed at the time an agreement is reached.

However, the offer—marking the third proposal in this pay period—was rejected by the RCN, who raised concerns that it did not include back pay for those who had already left the organisation in the months since the offer should have been implemented.

The rejection follows a long-running dispute between the RCN and Manx Care over pay.

In 2023, nurses held two days of strike action before a new offer from Manx Care was made, providing a consolidated £1,500 increase for each pay point alongside a 6% pay rise.

However, the latest offer was again met with dissatisfaction, leading the RCN to conduct the indicative ballot.

Simon Browes, North West Regional Director for the RCN, said the result of this ballot ‘speaks for itself’.

He said: ‘Our members do not feel like they are being heard and believe that taking action is necessary to bring about a resolution.

‘The RCN has been clear since the start of this process, that industrial action is always a last resort, but we are also clear that the skill, professionalism, and safety critical work of nursing staff has historically been undervalued, and that patients are being put at risk due to the staffing crisis on the Isle of Man.’

The RCN is now preparing to move forward with a statutory ballot, which would allow members to take lawful strike action if necessary.

The union is calling on Manx Care to take the overwhelming message from its members seriously and to continue negotiations to reach a fair settlement.

This latest development comes in the wake of senior doctors on the Island accepting an 11th-hour pay offer in February, which included an 8% pay rise for 2023/24 and a further 8% increase for 2024/25.

The doctors had initially planned to strike, but the revised offer led to the postponement of industrial action.

The ongoing pay dispute with nurses highlights a wider issue within the island’s healthcare system, with concerns growing over staffing shortages and rising pressure on frontline workers.

It comes after Manx Care’s new Mandate for 25/26 was released, outlining significant cost-saving measures for the organisation.

Residents can expect to see fewer hospital beds, longer waits for non-urgent care, and higher charges for dental services and prescriptions in the next year after the Isle of Man Government issued new instructions to Manx Care.

The RCN has been vocal in stressing that adequate pay is essential to attract and retain nursing staff, especially in light of the critical role they play in ensuring patient safety and care quality.

The possibility of nurses returning to the picket lines remains a real threat.