Group of unions for NHS employees – together with nurses – vote to simply accept authorities pay supply

A gaggle of unions representing NHS employees – together with nurses – has voted to simply accept a pay supply from the federal government.

Unison, GMB, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and the Royal College of Midwives had been amongst those that supported the 5% pay supply, plus a money prime up.

The Royal College of Nursing – which represents most nurses – and Unite voted towards the deal.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay says he now plans to impose the deal for all of these on the Agenda for Change pay scale.

But it doesn’t essentially imply industrial motion will finish, as there may nonetheless be opposition from unions to presents for the 2023/24 interval.

Mr Barclay stated: “It is now my intention to implement this for all staff on the Agenda for Change contract and where some unions may choose to remain in dispute, we hope their members – many of whom voted to accept this offer – will recognise this as a fair outcome that carries the support of their colleagues and decide it is time to bring industrial action to an end.

“We will proceed to have interaction constructively with unions on workforce adjustments to make sure the NHS is the very best place to work for employees, sufferers and taxpayers.”

Sara Gorton, the head of health at Unison, said: “NHS employees will now need the pay rise they’ve voted to simply accept. The hope is that the one-off cost and wage improve shall be in June’s pay packets.

“But health staff shouldn’t have needed to take action in the first place. Unions made clear to ministers last summer that £1,400 wasn’t enough to stop staff leaving the NHS, nor prevent strikes. But the government wouldn’t listen.

“Proper pay talks final autumn may have stopped well being employees lacking out on cash they might sick afford to lose. The NHS and sufferers would even have been spared months of disruption.

“This pay deal must be the start of something new in the NHS. There cannot be a repeat of the past few months. Everyone who cares about the NHS deserves better. That means improving the process that sets health worker wages.

“The NHS stays desperately in need of employees too. Services can solely address rising demand if there is a correctly resourced and well-supported workforce. Government should now work with unions to realize simply that.”

A letter from GMB to Steve Barclay in the wake of the vote said: “The determination on the revised pay supply at right this moment’s employees council assembly is a welcome first step within the lengthy journey to coping with the basic points dealing with GMB’s NHS members, together with in ambulance companies.

“However, it is abundantly clear that unless significant action is taken on key issues, the problems facing our health service, and the people who work every day to save lives and keep the public safe, will remain.”

The Royal College of Nursing is about to re-ballot its members for a mandate to strike – which may precipitate motion happening up until Christmas.