UNISON, the UK’s largest health union, is to ballot its 450,000
health workers on an improved NHS pay offer announced today.
The new package gives extra help to the low paid and, for staff in
England where the pay offer remains staged, additional money
targeted at training plus a £38 contribution towards professional
fees. There is also a commitment to review future pay and
conditions.
Mike Jackson, UNISON lead negotiator, said:
ÒPay negotiations this year have been dogged by the Treasury’s
policy of restricting public sector pay. This has led to months of
long and tough negotiations but at last we have an improved offer
to put to members.
ÒThe package on offer is a complex one and will mean different
things to different NHS staff depending on where they live. This is
still a below inflation deal for most, but it is the best offer we are
likely to achieve through negotiations and we will be balloting our
members over whether they wish to accept it.Ó
An individual postal ballot of all NHS UNISON members will be
held between 20th August and the 13th September 2007on
whether to accept the offer.
Details of the offer include:
* From 1st November, extra money for the lowest paid. £400 flat
rate increase for those on Bands 1 and 2. Those on Bands 3 and
4 will receive an additional £38 as well as the 2.5%. This will be
payable in all 4 UK countries.
* In England only, there will be additional money for staff training
targeted directly on those non-clinical staff who often lose out
when training budgets are cut.
* England only, there will be £38 paid to staff on Bands 5, 6, 7 and
8(a) who are required to register to practice. This money is a
contribution to their professional fees.
In addition to the improved pay offer for this year, unions,
employers and governments have agreed to enter into talks prior
to the next pay round, to consider improvements to the Agenda for
Change pay structure and its terms and conditions.
Mike Jackson said:
ÒThis will provide an opportunity for UNISON to pursue long-
standing policies such as a reduction in the working week and the
abolition of Band 1.”
Note for Editors
The 2.5% pay award will be paid in full in Scotland, Wales and NI
from 1st April but staged in England – 1.5% from April and an
additional 1% payable in November. All four countries would
receive the extra money on Bands 1 – 4 on 1st November 2007