Watch this video. It gives more detail on the NHS pay deal and pay negotiations in Scotland.
Lilian Macer, UNISON Scotland convener and Tam Waterson Chair of the Scottish Health Committee explain why we now want to negotiate direct with the Scottish Government and not the UK NHS Pay Review Board.
UNISON, Scotland’s biggest health union, is calling on the Scottish Government to set up formal structures to negotiate direct with NHS unions in Scotland, and officially leave the UK’s NHS Pay Review Body.
The call comes after NHS members voted to accept a new three year pay deal direct with the Scottish Government after years of being given 1% pay rises from through UK’s NHS Pay Review Body. This is the first year UNISON and other health unions have submitted a pay claim direct to the Scottish Government.
The UK’s NHS Pay Review Body negotiates with health unions on pay on behalf of the NHS across the UK. UNISON members do not believe that the NHS Pay Review Body listens to their concerns. It has been calling on the Scottish Government to set up pay negotiating structures directly with unions in Scotland.
Thomas Waterson, chair of the UNISON Health Committee said: “Today I am pleased to announce that 94% of UNISON members have voted to accept a pay deal which will put an additional £400m into NHS workers pay packets in Scotland. This deal delivers real increases of between 3 and 27% for NHS workers in Scotland. The strong endorsement by UNISON members makes it clear that we do not need to wait cap in hand for the Pay Review Body. This institution as it stands is dead in the water.
Eighteen months ago some people said that we couldn’t negotiate a separate pay deal for NHS workers in Scotland. Then they said that we couldn’t negotiate a better deal for Scotland. The Scottish Government should commit now to develop negotiating structures in Scotland and allow us to self determine on pay.”
Matt McLaughlin, UNISON Scotland Head of Health said: “This is a good result for UNISON members and I am happy that across Scotland we reached out to and engaged with the vast majority of our members. Their decision is a ringing endorsement of the offer.”
UNISON was the only major union in NHS Scotland to recommend the deal to members and has engaged in a month long consultation process across Scotland.
• All NHS Scotland staff earning under £80,000 to receive a 3% pay increase backdated to April 1, 2018, with a payment of £1600 for staff earning more than £80,000
• The top of all pay scales to rise by 9% over the lifetime of the three-year deal (including 2018) or £1600 per annum for scales above £80,000
• Larger increments and faster progression for staff in post, but not yet at the top of their pay band – worth between 11.3% and 27.7%
• Removal of band overlaps to ensure promotion comes with a proper pay rise and to lessen the risk of equal pay challenges
• Big improvements in starting salaries to help the NHS attract and retain new staff
• Applies to all NHS contractor staff
The union consulted almost 60,000 NHS workers in Scotland in a four week ballot.
Video produced by Walter Gaffney, UNISON Communications Committee Activist, for UNISON Scotland
The employers’ national pay offer has been rejected by a majority of over two-thirds of respondents in the recent branch consultation.
UNISON’s Higher Education Service Group Executive (HESGE) met to consider the results and propose further action. Noting that the majority of Branch respondents had indicated their wish to reject the offer and that they were prepared to take strike action, the HESGE has requested a national industrial action ballot. The ballot will call on members to vote to take strike action to improve the current pay offer and seek to co-ordinate strikes with other HE unions. The HESGE will ask for national and regional resources to be dedicated to supporting the ballot and getting a high turnout, bearing in mind that the new trade union laws mean that a 50% turnout needs to be achieved to ensure that industrial action can be taken. The ballot is likely to take place in late September/early October.
There will be a joint members meeting with UCU and Unite on Wednesday 5th September at 1 pm in the Small Rehearsal Room at the Students’ Association. All members are welcome to attend. (Please note that all UNISON members are entitled to attend members meetings but must first request permission from their line manager.) The HESGE will be strongly campaigning to persuade members to vote to take action and we will produce updated materials and resources to support the process
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