Jersey nurses union says further industrial action 'possible'

Further action from Jersey's nurses is possible if they do not get a new pay deal, according to the leader of a nurses union.

About 400 nurses are expected to march through St Helier on Saturday in protest at the latest pay offer.

Kenny McNeil, from the Nurses and Midwives Joint Executive, said industrial action was a possibility.

Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, said he was looking at whether it was possible to offer nurses more money.

He said: "We recognised there was a difficult historical position [with nurses], certainly about recruitment and pay differentials.

"I am asking staff to see if there is further we could offer just that one section of the workforce."

The nurses have been offered a 3% rise in 2013 and a 4% increase in 2014.

Mr McNeil said: "...this has gone back at least 10 years where each time they fail to address the long term equality of pay between nurses and other healthcare professionals in the island.

"I think the States employment board do not show real commitment to close that gap - which is up to 18% in some places."