- Conference
- 2007 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 29 December 2006
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that a significant number of UNISON health members have not yet had the opportunity to access the Agenda for Change system, particularly those employed in the voluntary sector. Many of these members transferred out of the NHS in areas such as learning disability services on TUPE protected Whitley scales. Some of the staff employed since transfer in these areas were also employed on Whitley based pay scales.
Whilst the long term objective for these groups must remain to bring them back into line with directly employed NHS colleagues in line with previous UNISON health policy there are immediate issues we must also address. The lack of a clear reference point for these staff groups’ pay has led to local negotiation to secure cost of living increases in line with the NHS award, but this potentially undermines their TUPE status, e.g. risking employers asking staff to give up valuable terms and conditions in order to get a pay increase.
Conference believes the most sensible solution is the continued publication of Whitley-equivalent scales, on the clear proviso that these only apply to staff outside the NHS, and calls upon the NHS Staff Council to adopt this approach.