- Conference
- 2016 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 11 December 2015
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference welcomes the report of the Health Service Group Executive’s Devolution Working Group on pay determination across the four countries in the UK. Conference acknowledges that whilst responsibility for determining pay in the UK is a devolved function, UNISON remains committed to maintaining and improving pay for NHS workers across the UK.
Conference believes the ongoing pay caps across the NHS are harming staff morale and well-being, having a detrimental impact on recruitment and retention across the NHS workforce and will have a negative impact on patients.
This report sets out the principles which should underpin UNISON’s pay campaigning and bargaining strategy for the NHS in all four countries whilst taking account of the differences that currently exist and which may continue or change in the future. One of the aims of this report is to ensure there is no drift towards regional pay or to allow pay to be driven down in “low wage economies”.
Conference notes that this report sets out a consultation and accountability framework on pay determination and welcomes the commitment to support any part of the union where there is a detrimental differential in any pay settlement. Conference confirms that providing this support should be a priority for the HSGE and the resources available to it.
Conference calls on the HSGE to consult further:
1)On a method for consulting with regions/branches/members on determining pay priorities and on any pay offers/recommendations from the PRB, governments or employers.
2)On determining the applicability of rule P1.3.6 i.e. how to ensure the need to “have regard to the national negotiating machinery in devolved administrations.”