04.06.14
Unions warn of strike action over pay as Confed gets underway
Unite, the country’s largest union, has said it has received ‘a very clear mandate’ from its healthcare members to reject the government’s 1% pay offer, including a move to industrial action, if there is no progress.
This week, the union is launching its ‘think again’ on NHS pay campaign with events including a protest outside the NHS Confederation’s annual conference in Liverpool on Thursday, the day when health secretary Jeremy Hunt addresses the audience of health executives and leaders.
Unite head of health Rachael Maskell said: “It is time that health secretary Jeremy Hunt sat down with the unions and listened to our proposals for fair pay for the biggest workforce in this country.
“If the government fails to address the problems of this year’s controversial 1% ‘divide and rule’ pay offer, Unite will have no choice but to escalate its campaign on NHS pay right up to the next general election, where the NHS in meltdown will be centre stage.”
Under the government’s plans, all NHS staff and salaried doctors, except the most senior managers, had been offered a below-inflation 1% pay rise next year – but not if they are on progression pay. This meant that 600,000 NHS employees received no cost of living pay rise on 1 April.
Following the government’s decision to ignore the Pay Review Body’s recommendation on pay, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has stated that it will also be launching the What if?, a major campaign for fair pay on 5 June.
In a survey, 95% of its members said that they wanted to oppose the government’s decision on their pay. Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, said: “No-one is denying that times have been tough and that difficult decisions need to be made however nurses have already done their bit.
“What if? is there to give nursing staff a voice and the RCN will be campaigning to ensure that the government listens and does the decent and honourable thing by giving nursing staff the pay rise they deserve.”
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