Government must pay up to end growing NHS pay divide, says UNISON

The government must find the money to ensure tens of thousands of low-paid cleaners, porters, security guards and catering staff working for private contractors in hospitals across England receive the same pay rise as colleagues employed by the NHS, says UNISON today (Sunday). The lowest paid workers in the NHS were given a £2,000 pay rise last year, as part of a three-year deal negotiated by health unions. But the overwhelming majority of health staff employed on private contracts have not received a penny, says UNISON. Many outsourced staff haven’t had a wage rise in years and the growing pay divide is affecting the smooth running of the NHS, say UNISON. It is also having an impact on patient care, as outsourced staff leave in search of better-paid jobs. On the eve of its annual health conference – which opens tomorrow in Bournemouth – UNISON is calling on the government to come up with the funding so everyone working in the NHS earns at least £9.03 an hour. Many staff employed by private contractors are on the minimum wage, earning just £8.21 an hour. The NHS couldn’t function without the tens of thousands of staff working on private contracts, says UNISON. Every day they work alongside NHS colleagues doing similar jobs, but end up with substantially less money in their pay packets. UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “All hospital workers are part of the NHS team and should be paid fairly for the important jobs they do. The days of treating them as se...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: News Press release health care Source Type: news