Unite to ballot its NHS members on strike action over 'insulting' pay offer
Unite, the country's largest union, is balloting its members in the health service over possible strike action in the autumn over the government's 'insulting' pay offer, which was unilaterally imposed in England and Wales.
Ballot papers for Unite's members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will start landing on doormats from 26 August asking them whether they wish to take strike action or industrial action short of a strike. The ballot closes on 26 September.
Unite will be joining other health unions in making a major stand on pay. It is estimated the 1.3 million workers in the NHS have seen their pay fall by up to 15 per cent in real terms since the coalition came to power in May 2010.
Unite head of health Rachael Maskell said:
“We are calling on our members to give us a strong mandate for industrial action. This will send a crystal clear message to health secretary Jeremy Hunt that he needs to sit down with the unions and listen to our proposals for fair pay for the biggest workforce in this country.
“Industrial action will be carefully calibrated to balance the real and deep anger that our members feel about their falling incomes, with concern for patient care which is paramount for the health professionals we represent.”
The pay situation is at different stages in the four countries of the UK: in England, there was a 'divide and rule' one per cent offer which meant that 600,000 NHS employees received no cost of living pay rise on 1 April 2014.
In Wales, the devolved government has agreed to a 'living wage' for all staff and an imposed one-off payment of £160, however, there is a wider dispute on terms and conditions. In Northern Ireland, there has been no decision made on pay.
In Scotland, the devolved government has agreed to pay the one per cent pay rise to all staff as recommended by the independent Pay Review Body (PRB) and to implement the 'living wage' by paying an extra £300 to low paid workers. Unite has accepted this and will, therefore, not be balloting its members in Scotland.
Rachael Maskell said:
“The pay campaign is at different stages across the UK. Only in Scotland has the issue of this year's PRB recommendation been properly addressed.
“We received a strong mandate from our consultative ballot on pay earlier this summer which has given us the green light for this industrial action ballot.”
Jeremy Hunt's decision to reject the recommendation of one per cent for all workers by the PRB meant that only those at the top of their band pay received the one per cent increase in April.
An estimated 50 per cent of the NHS workforce is having to rely on their annual incremental increase, which is not necessarily guaranteed.
Unite stresses that the incremental increases are in recognition of increased knowledge and skills as staff progress in their careers, with additional performance criteria to be met – and are not part of the annual pay rise process.
Unite has 100,000 members in the health service, of which about 12,000 are in Scotland.
