Nurses and Trade Unions in Britain

Abstract

The nature of the negotiating body for pay and conditions of nurses in Britain and some of the reasons for the body's past failure to negotiate a substantial pay increase for nurses are described in this article. A description is given of a series of events, including strike action by nurses during 1974, which led to a substantial pay raise. The pay award, however, represented only a partial success for the trade unions and the negotiating body.

Methods of nurses' organization and the roles of their representative unions and professional body indicate some of the reasons for only a partial success. The lack of unity between the National Health Service trade unions and the reactionary role of the professional body were notable. However, many important political and organizational lessons were learned by nurses in this struggle. We are now facing savage cuts in National Health Service expenditure, leading to a reduction in the number of nurses employed. These lessons are clearly useful for the nurses and their organization with the labor movement in fighting these cuts in National Health Service expenditure.