Commenting on the announcement today (Tuesday) from NHS Pay Review Body of its proposals on pay for 2016/17, UNISON Head of Health Christina McAnea said: “It’s disappointing for NHS workers that the PRB has stuck to the artificial one per cent pay freeze imposed by the Chancellor.
“Government pay policies since 2010 have seen most health staff lose thousands in real terms – nurses are down more than £4,700 since then. This one per cent pay rise falls way below what health workers need and deserve after years of pay cuts, especially as changes to national insurance and pension contributions will absorb much of this miserly increase.
“The governments in Scotland and Wales are committed to paying health workers the living wage. NHS staff earning below this in England and Northern Ireland will quite rightly want to know why tackling poverty pay in the NHS in their countries isn’t a political priority.
“It’s no surprise that many desperately hard up health workers are leaving the NHS to come back as agency staff where they can earn more money.
“Health workers are worried about the impact of these repeated cuts on their families and NHS services. The current junior doctors’ dispute remains a huge concern as workers fear ministers will target them next with cuts to unsocial hours payments. UNISON is committed to defending these essential payments.”
UNISON will be consulting its members on this offer.
UNISON media contacts:
Fatima Ayad T: 0207 121 5255 M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen T: 0207 121 5463 M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk
Sophie Goodchild T: 0207 121 5546 M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk
Alan Weaver T: 0207 121 5555 M: 07939 143310 E: a.weaver@unison.co.uk