Fair NHS Pay Now!

**16 March 2023**
Unite to put English NHS Pay offer to members and pauses Industrial action following negotiations

Responding to the government’s new pay offer for NHS workers in England Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

“Following months and months of unnecessary delay, the government finally gets into the negotiating room. They need to take full responsibility for their dither and delay, which has caused unnecessary pain to both staff and patients in the NHS.

“It is clear that the government has been forced into negotiations and the subsequent move, because of strike action and the support of the public for the NHS.

“The offer from government is not one that Unite can recommend to our members, but ultimately it is important that our members make the final decision. Unite will support members in whichever decision they now make.  As Unite members are being consulted strike action will be paused.

“It is clear that this government does not hold the interest of workers or the NHS at heart. Their behaviour and disdain for NHS workers and workers generally is clear from their actions.

“Britain has a broken economy and workers are paying the price.”

Read the original statement here

Strike action by thousands of Unite members working in the NHS in England since December 2022 forced the UK Government to come to the negotiation table following the NHS Pay Review Body inadequate pay recommendation for 2022-23.

Following several days of intensive talks, the Government has made an offer to trade unions.

• An additional one-off lump sum for 2022/23 which rises in value up the NHS pay bands. To provide a range, this is worth £1,655 for staff on Band 2 (over 8%), £2,009 for staff at the top of Band 5 and £3,789 for staff at the top of Band 9.  
• A permanent 5% pay rise on all pay points for 2023/24.  
• An increase to Band 2, raising the lowest pay point in the NHS to £11.45 an hour – 55p higher than the real Living Wage. 

Unite’s Health National Industrial Sector Committee, made up of members working in the NHS, met on Thursday 16^th March and decided to put the offer out to consultation to our members in England and pause planned industrial action on 20^th, 22^nd and 29^th March.

Unite is a union led by our membership and we will be preparing a consultative ballot of our membership in England to give you a say on the Government pay offer. Please look out for further communications and details of this in the coming days and weeks.

We commend our members that have taken strike action and balloted for strike action to push the UK Government into reviewing NHS Pay for 2022/23 and to enter collective bargaining for 2023/24 in line with our policy for collective bargaining to replace the NHS Pay Review Body. 

Importantly, the UK Government has conceded to Unite’s demands that additional funding must be found for NHS and the cost of the offer should not be taken out of current NHS budgets. We have also been assured that Barnett funding will flow to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Please see the tables below of what the Government’s pay offer means to you.

An additional one-off cash non-consolidated lump sum for 2022/23

Permanent consolidated 5% pay offer on all points for 2023/24 – 5% plus Living Wage

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14 March 2023
Unite escalation in strike action leads to Government Pay negotiations and suspension of NHS strike action

Following several days of strike action by Unite members in the English Ambulance service since December in the North East, North West, West Midlands and East Midlands this was escalated by the announcement of new dates for strike joined by more members.  Unite Ambulance members in South East Coast England, South Central England and Yorkshire voted decisively for industrial action and strike dates were set for March.

Alongside the growing number of Unite health workplaces conducting industrial action ballots across England putting pressure on the Government to finally invite Unite with sister unions to get around the table for meaningful talks on pay.

Unite has sought assurances from the Government and enter pay talks. This included:

• Additional Government money to resolve the pay dispute for 2022/23 not from NHS budgets.
• Negotiations in line with Unite policy of collective bargaining for the NHS to settle pay for 2023/24.
• Talks on important issues around recruitment and retention for NHS workers.
• Negotiations involving the NHS staff councils with Government, NHS Employers and key Health trade unions.

Following meetings of our lay membership leaders in the Ambulance service and other workplaces that have industrial action mandates Unite agreed to suspend industrial action on 6^th & 8^th March for negotiations to start with the Government.

Current industrial action ballots in progress will continue and Unite will campaign for Yes votes for industrial action in all these ballots across England.

The talks began on Tuesday 7^th March and have been meaningful, constructive and are still ongoing.

BREAKING!! |WALES AMBULANCE STRIKES SUSPENDED ON MONDAY 6 MARCH TO ALLOW FOR TALKS WITH WELSH GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE!!!
Read full statement here. 

Striking is a last resort. But what choice do we have? Low NHS pay is driving workers from the profession they love. This is causing chronic understaffing which puts patients lives at risk. Our members are striking to #SaveourNHS. 

NHS PAY BALLOTS 2023

Some regions are running NHS pay ballots now. Please talk to your rep for details. Ballot papers will be posted. Vote Early. Vote Yes.

VOTE YES FOR STRIKE ACTION
VOTE YES TO RAISE NHS PAY
VOTE YES TO SAVE OUR NHS

Unite is urging you to vote YES for strike action over the UK government’s decision to impose another below inflation pay award of just over 4% for most NHS staff in England and Wales. And follows a consultative ballot of our members in which 84% voted for industrial action. Nearly all (97%) said the award was unfair.

 With RPI inflation at 13.4% this is another massive pay cut. The government’s imposed pay award of £1,400 will also lead to more NHS cuts, as there’s no extra money from the Treasury to fund it.

Get vote ready:

• Check your post – This is a postal ballot. Vote YES and post your ballot back in the envelope provided straight away.
• Check back for updates: we will post ballot opening and closing dates, and workplaces here.
• Check your Unite membership details - go to myunite.unitetheunion.org to update your details and never miss a message from us. 
• Talk to your lead health officer, and UNITE rep about ordering a supply of Get out the vote materials for your workplace.

Your vote is your voice - don't lose it. 

For more information: please talk to your UNITE rep or email [email protected] 

REMINDER: NHS pay is imposed not negotiated. Health unions do not negotiate with the government on NHS pay in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Instead, the UK government uses the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) process to make decisions on NHS staff pay awards. Unite submits evidence to the PRB report.

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