Following the new offer from government on heatlh pay in England, details of how branches will need to consult members will be available later this week via a health branch circular.
UNISON will accept or reject this offer based on the view of the majority of members, so it is vital that all health members can take part in the consultation and have their say.
There will be information on the health pay pages of the UNISON website to help members see how the offer affects them and briefings will be sent to branches for reps to help when they speak to members.
Other NHS unions are consulting members on the offer and have also suspended action in England while the consultation takes place.
The offer comes as a result of the industrial action we held last year, together with the threat of further strikes in 2015, which saw the government increase the money it planned to spend on NHS pay from April this year.
While this is an improved offer in many ways, it is not better for everyone. It does increase pay for our lowest paid members and for the 60% of staff who were subject to the planned pay freeze.
However, senior staff are penalised by it.
UNISON believes that this is the best offer that will be achieved through negotiation and without the need to continue our programme of industrial action.
If the majority of UNISON members working in the NHS in England are not in favour of accepting it, health members in England will be asked to take further industrial action, starting with a strike on Friday 13 March.
