For most nurses, the complex system through which their pay and conditions are negotiated are of no consequence. They simply want a fair reward for their work. When they do not get it they are as capable as any group of venting their anger and frustration. Ultimately what concerns them is the environ- ment in which they work and the standard of care which they are able to deliver. But over the course of 1995, nurses have become increasingly aware of the consequences of inequitable pay systems and the dangers inherent in local pay determination. There is now a widely held belief among nurses that ' protecting the future of the Review Body is crucial to the profession's future I and its ability to carry out safe, effective nursing care. This week, however, the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council could well make a decision contrary to those views.