TEN of the region's MPs have protested to Gordon Brown about an "unjust" pay award that has provoked NHS nurses to threaten industrial action for the first time.

The Labour backbenchers have condemned the Chancellor's bitterly-fought decision to stage this year's 2.5 per cent salary rise, with slices handed out in April and November.

The 1.5 per cent pay rise last month, to be followed by a further one per cent increase in the autumn, works out at only 1.9 per cent over the year.

That equates to a £570-a-year pay cut in real terms, on an average nurse's wage of £24,841, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

The union is taking the unprecedented step of balloting 300,000 nurses on whether they would be prepared to support industrial action.

Frank Cook (Stockton North), John Cummings (Easington), Kevan Jones (Durham North), Dave Anderson (Blaydon), Jim Cousins (Newcastle Central), Alan Campbell (Tynemouth), Denis Murphy (Wansbeck), Stephen Byers (Tyneside North), Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow) and Bill Etherington (Sunderland North) have all backed the RCN's campaign.

They are among 186 MPs who have either signed a parliamentary motion or offered support after a plea from RCN general secretary Dr Peter Carter.

Among them are Conservative leader David Cameron, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell and former health secretary Frank Dobson.

However, two North-East MPs - Iain Wright (Hartlepool) and Chris Mullin (Sunderland South) - wrote in reply that they backed the staged pay award.

Dr Carter said: "The government's decision to stage this year's pay award, in breach of the independent Pay Review Body, is unjust, undeserved and unacceptable.

"It is clear from the response we have received so far that many MPs of all political persuasions also believe the government is just plain wrong on this issue.

"I would like to thank them for supporting our campaign for a fair pay deal for nurses and I urge those MPs who have not yet done so to follow their example."

Under RCN rules, members cannot take any industrial action that is harmful to patient care. However, a work to rule may see them refuse to work beyond their contracted hours.

According to RCN research, nurses work an average of six-and-a-half hours of unpaid overtime every week.

A Department of Health spokesman said it was "maintaining a dialogue" with the RCN to resolve the dispute.

He added: "We understand the frustrations the RCN is expressing on behalf of members about the 2007/08 pay offer, but staging was essential to align with the government's inflation target."

YOUR SAY