 A two-stage pay rise angered health unions |
Nurses in England are being sent ballot papers, asking if they are ready to consider industrial action in their pay dispute with the government. The move by the Royal College of Nursing comes after the government said it would pass on a 2.5% pay rise in two stages, equating to 1.9% over the year.
But nurses elsewhere in the UK will get the full rise in one go.
The RCN says a poll of 2,300 people found 82% see this as unfair and 74% would support nurses taking action.
The RCN promised at its annual conference in April to have the indicative ballot of its members if the government did not reverse its decision.
Unison has also agreed that a ballot of the union's 450,000 NHS members, including nurses, ambulance crews and paramedics, would be held unless the offer was increased.
The move comes ahead of a meeting on Wednesday to resolve the dispute.
Unions and government negotiators are to get together for the second time in 10 days, although so far the government has stuck to its line that giving the pay rise in full would be bad for inflation.
Historically, nurses have not been allowed to take industrial action but a rule change in the mid-1990s permitted measures which do not harm patient care.
'There for patients'
This means an all-out strike would be highly unlikely but it does allow nurses to take other steps such as refusing to do unpaid overtime or some paperwork.
 |  The government has been committed to ensuring NHS staff are better paid |
Peter Carter, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "Nurses are not demanding sky-high inflation-busting increases in their pay."
The RCN released the findings of the poll of 2,300 people, which found three-quarters would support action that did not harm patient care.
Mr Carter added: "Day in, day out, nurses are there for their patients - they will be heartened to know that they can count on the general public for support at this difficult time.
"I want to reassure everyone that this is not a course of action we take lightly and the safety of patients remains our number one concern."
The Department of Health said it was trying to seek a resolution to the dispute.
"The government has been committed to ensuring NHS staff are better paid and is maintaining the normal course of dialogue with the health service trade unions."
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