- Conference
- 2022 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 11 November 2021
- Decision
- Carried
National health service national on call agreement
During the negotiations to implement Agenda for Change Unison was the lead union to persuade members and other unions that Agenda for Change would ensure fairness in the workplace.
Before Agenda for Change members worked different hours, had different annual leave entitlements, different unsocial hours and different on call arrangements.
When Agenda for Change was finally implemented members found they worked the same hours, had the same annual leave and unsocial hours pay with their counterparts else where in the country. Except if you happen to work On Call.
Agenda for Change never solved the On Call problem and after many years employers left it to different organisations to negotiate their own arrangements. This has led to great disparities amongst staff who work On Call.
A member could be On Call in a Hospital Imaging department earning a decent call payment with decent pay whenever called out. But in a hospital only a couple of miles away another member doing the same job gets less call payment and different compensatory rest arrangements.
There are massive differences in pay, renumeration and bank holiday TOIL between employers with many members having to use annual leave or lose pay to recover after being On Call.
Conference calls on the service group to:
• Survey members on how On Call negatively impacts on members lives
• Work with staff groups such as ODP’s, Radiographers, physios and nurses to develop On Call arrangement that works for all staff groups
• Work with employers to develop ethical on call that gives members proper rest without losing annual leave or pay
• Work with employers to ensure members who work On Call have guaranteed rest time without impinging on the individual’s terms and conditions.
Conference, please support.