NHS workers belonging to Unison, including ambulance staff and some nurses, have ‘voted decisively’ to accept the Government’s pay offer today.
The offer includes a 5% wage rise for this financial year which is worth at least £1,065, as well as a one-off payment for 2022/23.
In a consultation of almost 300,000 NHS workers across England which closed this afternoon, 74% voted to accept the deal. This is in line with the union’s recommendation.
The offer came from talks between unions, employers and ministers in March, and the outcome for other unions is expected to be announced by the end of the month.
This comes as members of four unions at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) plan to take ‘action short of a strike’ from Monday 17 April.
Staff at the organisation, which inspects GP practices, will ‘work to rule’, meaning they will only work their contracted hours, take all their contractual breaks and decline to work overtime.
The unions involved are the Royal College of Nursing, Prospect, Unite and Unison, and this action follows ballots last month where workers voted in favour of industrial action short of striking.
On the NHS Unison workers accepting the Government’s pay offer, the union’s head of health Sara Gorton said: ‘Clearly health workers would have wanted more, but this was the best that could be achieved through negotiation.
‘Over the past few weeks, health workers have weighed up what’s on offer. They’ve opted for the certainty of getting the extra cash in their pockets soon.’
Ms Gorton said that while this ends Unison’s dispute, ‘it doesn’t solve the wider staffing emergency affecting every part of the NHS’ and called for ‘a whole new approach to setting pay across the NHS’.
A Government spokesperson said: ‘Under the offer, an Agenda for Change employee at the Band 6 entry point – such as a physiotherapist, paramedic or a midwife – will receive over £5,100 across last year and this year, with over £2,000 in bonus payments arriving as a lump sum in pay cheques by summer.
‘Hundreds of thousands of Agenda for Change staff continue to vote in ballots for other unions over the next two weeks and we hope this generous offer secures their support.’
This announcement also coincides with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) asking the health secretary for an ‘urgent re-opening of pay talks’ as they organise a 48-hour strike from 8pm on 30 April to 8pm on 2 May.
The union’s consultation results were announced this afternoon with 54% voting to reject the offer, based on a 61% turnout.
This comes on the last day of the junior doctor strike which was announced last month after pay talks with the Government broke down.
Fully support the CQC industrial action – hold out for as long as you can, and carry on taking those contractual tea breaks !
Hear hear
Perhaps the CQC should go on a 6 month strike
I’m sure RS will pay them a bonus or a few pounds??
Perhaps GP s will support their strike ?
CQC strike😂😂
Rate them as ‘irrelevant’
How will we all cope?