Responding to the laying of the Employment Rights Bill, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said:
“Today’s bill marks a historic moment for our female-dominated profession, paving the way for the biggest advance in workers’ rights in a generation. A fair pay agreement in social care, enshrined in law, and a new body to root out care worker exploitation are measures the RCN has long been calling for. Raising pay, rights and employment standards in the sector is now a step closer to reality.
“The repeal of anti-trade union laws is long overdue and nursing staff will no longer be silenced when standing up for their patients. Our profession was the only one to reject the NHS pay award and these reforms will give nursing staff greater power to organise, demand fair pay and improve working conditions.
“Improving workers’ rights won’t only benefit nursing staff, but also the services they work in. Flexible working, better maternity protections and sick pay from day one aren’t just important rights, but vital recruitment and retention tools, too.
“The biggest mistake the government could now make is standing still. These proposals are good, but they can be great. Nursing as a 90% female profession has been held back for so long, and whilst this bill with its broad aims will help, there needs to be a more fundamental shift in how nursing is valued by those in power.”
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