23.07.14
Unions to ballot NHS staff on strike action over pay
More than 400,000 NHS workers in England are to be balloted on whether to take industrial action later this year, over pay.
Unison, Unite, GMB and the Royal College of Midwives all made the announcements in response to what they call the government’s ‘unfair’ pay deal, put forward in March.
At the time, ministers decided to ignore the NHS Pay Review Body’s recommendations for a 1% consolidated rise for all staff, on top of automatic increments. Instead they proposed to give a 1% non-consolidated increase only to staff at the top of their incremental scale.
In response, the unions say this will deny approximately 60% of NHS staff and 70% of nurses a pay rise for the next two years. The ballot will take place in August/September with any action commencing in October.
During this time, UNISON is expected to ballot its 300,000 health members, including nurses, therapists, porters, paramedics, medical secretaries, cooks, cleaners and healthcare assistants, while 26,000 midwives are being balloted.
Unite is balloting nearly 90,000 members, including those in Northern Ireland and Wales, and the GMB is preparing to ballot about 30,000 NHS members, including ambulance staff.
Christina McAnea, Unison head of health, said: “Balloting for strike action is not an easy decision – especially in the NHS. But this government is showing complete contempt for NHS workers.
“It has swept aside the Pay Review Body’s recommendations and ignored the union’s call for a fair deal. We hope to work closely with the other health unions to plan and coordinate action. It is not too late however for Jeremy Hunt to agree to further talks, without pre-conditions, to settle the dispute.”
The NHS Employers organisation is calling for discussion, not disruption, in response to the ballot announcements. Outgoing chief executive Dean Royles said that trade unions don't intend to distress patients when talking about strikes, but it does distress them.
He added: “I completely understand the frustration and anger staff and trade unions feel after a prolonged period of pay restraint and the decision not to fully implement the pay review body recommendations. They are clearly annoyed at the government and I understand they will want to protest.
“But I urge and plead with the unions to take patients out of the dispute and instead focus on meaningful discussions to find a sustainable way out of pay restraint. Let's explore longer term deals, protect those on lower pay and the living wage.”
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