UNISON West Midlands members are amongst 350,000 NHS workers being balloted in England for strike action over pay.
Members will have their chance to vote for strike action over pay when ballot papers start dropping through letter boxes from 28 August. UNISON members, including nurses, paramedics, therapists, cooks, cleaners, healthcare assistants and admin staff are being asked to vote yes for industrial action and action short of strike action. The NHS pay ballot closes 18 September 2014.
The ballot for strike action is in response to the Government’s decision to ignore the independent NHS Pay Review Body which recommended a 1% pay rise for all NHS staff. The English Department of Health have announced a 1% ‘non-consolidated’ pay award for those NHS staff on the top of their bands, meaning those 60% staff who are not on the top of their band, including 70% of nurses,will get nothing!
The UNISON Regional Secretary for the West Midlands, Ravi Subramanian said:
“We all know the NHS relies on the good will and expertise of its staff and this derisory pay offer recognises neither of these qualities. NHS workers have been badly hit suffering from repeated low pay in contrast to the rising cost of living. The Government’s move is unfair and deliberately provocative.”
“This time the Government has gone too far, UNISON is balloting NHS workers to give them the opportunity to make their voices heard and turn their anger into action. Voting for strike action is never an easy decision but even more so for NHS workers who spend their lives caring for people. But the Government’s refusal to give the vast majority of health workers any pay increase this year is a slap in the face.”
UNISON Regional Organiser for Health, Claire Campbell also added “NHS staff are on average 10% worse off than when the coalition came to power and this means their families are suffering from declining standards of living. Morale is hitting rock bottom – it is recognized that a well motivated workforce benefits patients experience and saves lives. We need to cherish and support our NHS and its staff who work day in day out caring for others.”
UNISON believes that the public deserves a quality NHS with staff that are well motivated and properly rewarded for the vital work that they do. To begin to achieve this the Westminster Government has to provide proper funding for the NHS and to work across the four UK governments to deliver a settlement, which:
- implements the PRB-recommended 1% on all hourly rates and the Living Wage of £7.65 per hour
- breaks the planned pay freeze for 2015-16
- and gives a commitment to cost of living pay increases for the future.
