Nurses to vote in strike ballot over pay next week

Island nurses are to be balloted about possible future industrial action over pay.

The Royal College of Nursing says it'll ask whether members support more strikes over Manx Care's latest pay offer, which was rejected in November.

The ballot will run from Wednesday, February 26 until Wednesday, March 12 - if staff vote yes the RCN says it would hold a statutory ballot to lay the ground for strikes.

Senior RCN regional officer for the Isle of Man David Hopton says strikes are a last resort, but patients are being put at risk due to a staffing crisis here.