Blog: At last NHS workers have a real pay offer – now it’s time for members to decide

Today we can say with absolute certainty, that the government’s self-defeating pay cap has been scrapped in the NHS. That is to be welcomed. The NHS pay offer unveiled today has certainly been a long time coming. Seven years of pay freezes and wage increases well below the cost of living have been pushing many of those working in our most vital institution – the National Health Service – close to the brink. As a result, the NHS struggled to hold onto experienced staff or recruit many of those needed to fill vacancies. The jewel in the crown of our public services was tarnished, deliberately, by making NHS workers pay for a crisis they didn’t cause. Throughout that time UNISON has campaigned to break the cap, to win for all NHS workers the pay and conditions that these public service champions deserve. We have lobbied and marched, debated and cajoled. We demanded that the government give all NHS workers a pay rise – not just cherry picking certain professions or pay grades. And in recent months, long and complex negotiations between the government, NHS employers and health unions (of which UNISON is the largest), have thrashed out the proposed agreement on offer today. As a result, more than a million-people working in our health service are being offered a long overdue pay rise. Every NHS worker on Agenda for Change terms – from the hospital porter to the NHS manager – will benefit. And no-one will lose any holidays as a result of this proposed agreement. UNISON...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: General secretary's blog News Source Type: news