It comes after the news household energy prices could hit an astonishing £3,600 a year.
The majority of nursing staff say they plan to work extra to be able to afford their energy bills.
A snap poll by NursingNotes reveals a massive 74% of nursing staff plan on working overtime or agency shifts to be able to gas and electric prices.
Over half (56%) said they expected to work more than a week (37.5 hours) extra a month to be able to make ends meet.
It comes after the news household energy prices could hit an astonishing £3,600 a year. A staggering rise of +258% when nursing pay has fallen by around 29% in real terms during the same period.
One nurse said they were “being forced to make a choice” between spending time with their children or putting food on the table and keeping the lights on.
Another nurse even suggested this year’s below-inflation NHS pay award was a “clever ploy” to force NHS workers to plug workforce gaps cheaply by keeping wages low but allowing the cost of living to rise.
The Government could act.
Nurses United UK is calling for NHS workers to vote for industrial action and called out reckless Government spending.
Lead organiser for the group Anthony Johnson explained, “This Government chose to blow £37 billion on a test and trace system that didn’t work. They literally burnt £4 billion worth of PPE that wasn’t fit for clinical practice because they chose to give dodgy contracts to their mates.
“The same is true for nursing pay and whether or not a real windfall tax is placed upon energy companies that are raking in profits at our expense.
“This Government could chose to act, raise our pay and protect us, and our patients, from the fossil fuel giants – but they don’t want to.
“That is why we need to remind them, that nurses will not allow ourselves or our communities to be kicked around. When the ballots drop from your union this Autumn you need to send a message to this Government and vote yes to taking industrial action so that we and our patients can afford to be healthy.”
