20.01.15
Hunt to meet unions over pay row
The health secretary is to meet with several unions today ahead of the latest wave of strikes planned by NHS workers in their row with the government over pay.
Members of Unison, Unite and GMB in hospitals across England and Northern Ireland are expected to walkout for 12 hours on Thursday 29 January, followed by work-to-rule until 24 February.
The unions are taking the action over the government’s decision to reject a 1% pay rise for NHS staff, which was recommended by the independent Pay Review Body last year.
Instead, the government decided to institute a below-inflation 1% non-consolidated pay rise, which the 600,000 staff who receive progression pay increases over 1% would not receive.
This came after the Pay Review Body said that a non-consolidated pay award could have an “adverse impact on staff engagement and motivation” and recommended against it.
There is some scepticism surrounding the meeting with Jeremy Hunt, which comes a week before the planned strike. Christina McAnea, Unison's head of health, said: “We have been asking for a meeting with the secretary of state since the dispute began.
“We hope the meeting will give us an opportunity to have serious discussions on how to resolve pay and staffing issues.”
(Images: c. Neil Hall and Stefan Rousseau/PA)
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