Should nurses get a significant pay rise after Corona

[SandwhichGenerationGal]

I have been a nurse for 42 years. Now semi retired (still do the odd shift). I have never earned enough to buy my own house and have struggled financially due to low pay. I have however, loved every minute of my job even though it has taken its toll physically, socially and psychologically.
Nurses have always been undervalued by government and their pay reflects this. Government have banked on the fact that they will not strike.
Nurses are the backbone of the NHS.
We will not get through the Corona Virus without them.
Isn’t it time to recognise this fact and financially reward nurses accordingly.
Of course everybody plays an important part in the NHS and I am certainly not minimising the efforts of others but without nurses there would not be an NHS.
Operations couldn’t happen, intensive care couldn’t function, A&E couldn’t function, patients on general wards would not be bathed, dressed, fed, lifted, taken to the toilet or have their bums washed.
It’s not just general nurses of course. Other specialities including mental health nurses are also undervalued and underpaid.

All public servants seem woefully underpaid in Britain to me. But equally Britain is in a really bad position financially. I don’t know what the answer is but I suppose something has to give.

I put YABU because I have always thought that nurses and carers deserve better pay. I'd happily pay more taxes and have an NHS that will survive the future instead of being overwhelmed every winter, and a functioning police force. But I think no one will be getting a pay rise after corona, the economy will be devastated, for years

I have not read the whole thread but I agree. I also think we should go one step further right and the Government should make emergency extra payments to all doctors and nurses. They are finding super hard to access food, they have unique time constraints upon currently, so if they extra money they could afford to buy in services. Or use specialist online shops to deliver to them with worrying about the money.
Yes I do appreciate everyone in the key worker group is important, but the doctors and nurses are working without any protective clothing, putting their lives in danger and need basic sustenance to cope.

Yes. Paid for through things like a tax on, for example, football ticket sales. Even a 1% tax (either by clubs to pay on admissions, or by individuals when buying tickets) would raise millions. If you can afford to pay £300 for a season ticket then you can afford to pay £303. Same for things like gigs, theatre, etc.

The result of this will show we don't need these things for entertainment, they are luxuries, so fair enough to pay more for them to fairly fund essentials.

Or just scrap Hs2 and other vanity projects, as hopefully it will establish that many many people can actually work just as well at home for at least a few days a week.

I would love if another effect is that the nhs is completely overhauled so it can do better with the money it does have (which is fairly considerable) but am afraid that would be an easy excuse for privatisation.

sam221 what about the carers, cleaners etc who are all equally exposed without the correct PPE?

"Health and Emergency services need hazard pay."

They already get that.

Of course they don't get hazard pay. They may get enhancements for working nights and weekends.

I’d say YABU to single out one group, however I think anyone who worked on a Covid ward should be compensated somehow, either financially or with extra leave. I was given the option, and I said no- DH and 2DC have asthma so it’s not a risk I feel I’m willing to take. If my colleagues end up going off sick, then maybe I’ll have to step in, but for now I have the option not to and I wouldn’t grudge anyone a “bonus” for stepping up.

Definitely agree with you but the NHS is already in a mess so I doubt it would happen. One good thing about it is people seem to understand how valuable us nurses are!! And other jobs too.

Not the NHS rheumatology nurse from Wolverhampton who thinks it’s perfectly ok for her to have travelled to her second home in Cornwall.

Saw it on Twitter. So sad and disappointing when even a NHS nurse doesn’t get it.

I hope to god this kind of idiocy is in the distinct minority.

They should, but we all know they won’t

I don't know. I think they should get a lot more at the moment though. Maybe a hazard type pay.

I didn't sign up for a situation that threatened my family and meant I couldn't see my father for months. Right now I want to see government go for tax avoiders with a vengeance. I want Marshall law for non payment of tax. Those bastards owe every one of us for what they have. I don't want their charitable organisations, I want them to pay taxes.

Marshall law ?

It'll never happen. Country will be practically bankrupt when we come out the other end of this. We'll have years of austerity on steroids

It would be a nice idea if the country has any money by the end of this. There is likely to be a massive recession so the tax take will plummet, and tax rates will probably rise as well.

Sorry but I'm on 32k as a nurse and wouldn't say I'm underpaid?

@machajoes yes, I want the government to clamp down like a dictator on steroids on the Jeff bezos of this world. They've amassed billions and pay less tax than I do. It's disgusting to know that so many are suffering and it'll only get worse yet they walk away without a hair out of place. They try to look good with charitable gifts but if they paid their taxes and decent wages, the economy would be more secure. I may come across as slightly rabid, but Philip green walking away with that money after asset stripping bhs just lit the touch paper. He's a piece of filth that bought a second 200million pound yacht whilst bhs workers and pensioners were left destitute. He emptied the pension fund and walked away. He and his ilk should be in jail. Here endeth the rabid rant .

I’m just not sure where the moneys supposed to come from OP. We’re headed for a huge economic crisis. As a nurse, you’ll still be employed though, which will be more than a lot of people will be able to say.

I want the government to clamp down like a dictator on steroids on the Jeff bezos of this world

Not a snowballs chance in hell this government will do that.

YES! Also none of the supermarket assistants/shelf stackers etc should be on zero hours and minimum wages. they're working there socks off at the moment!

There's no doubt they do a great job but on the other hand there a lot of other workers who feel undervalued and underpaid. It just wouldn't be fair on the rest of society to start giving pay rises to one group of people. Cleaners shop workers and carers in care homes don't get great pay so the nurses are luckier than most at the end of the month as there pay is greater than the above I have mentioned.

YABU for singling our nurses for this pay rise whilst overlooking all the porters, HCA, carers our in the community etc who are working just as hard in just as dire conditions, just as must risk of being infected but with even less chance of getting any PPE and paid a substantially lower wage than nurses.

@lauriemarlow you're are right. It's maddening to watch the stupidity of it.

I agree that it's not just nurses and doctors etc who are shouldering the burden of Covid 19, and ALL the workers who are continuing to work under extremely stressful circumstances deserve a hefty wage rise for their efforts.

But idiotic people like @ PinkiOcelot who say inflammatory crap like ''it's what you signed up for'' are ignorant, selfish and stupid.

No-one signed up for this !!!! This is not just a busy day at work !!!!

It's like saying to a new mother ''well, you signed up for this !'' when she is told her DC has a terrible disability !

FFS, NO-ONE signed up for what's coming, but you can bet your last penny that the @ PinkiOcelot 's of this world will be the muppets who are shouting loudest to the nurses when it's them that needs nursing help ! :(

PLEASE be kind to EVERYONE who is doing their best to continue working to keep the country afloat, fed and alive.

( because they are putting their own health and the health of their own families at risk by continuing to risk catching the virus just by working ........and what would happen if THEY suddenly thought ''fuck you, it's not worth the risk just to get crapped on by Joe Public'' ????)

nowayhose100% what you say. Every one in the health service deserves a pay rise from Consultant to cleaner but we won't get one as there is not going to be the money. The comments on here are an eye opener especially you PinkiOcelot,you should be ashamed but you won't be, too selfish to see that every time we are going into work we are exposing ourselves to this shitty virus. Let's hope your sorry arse doesn't end up in an ITU bed being cared for by a highly trained nurse earning £25000 a year.