Unite News Release

For immediate issue: Sunday 8 January 2023

PM must stop misleading the British public about these so-called ‘NHS pay talks’

2022/23 pay must be resolved or strikes continue

Responding to the prime minister’s comments today (Sunday) on NHS pay, Unite leader Sharon Graham has restated that without progress on the current (2022/23) pay claim, strikes by Unite’s ambulance members in England and Wales will go ahead this month.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “At best, Rishi Sunak is misleading the British public about these so called ‘NHS pay talks’.

“He knows very well that there can be no progress on the upcoming (2023/4) NHS pay review while the current 2022 NHS pay claim remains unresolved.

“I have repeatedly called for the prime minister to come to the table on this. All the general secretaries representing NHS workers stand ready to negotiate with him at any time.

“But this meeting on Monday has been misrepresented on almost every level. It is not a negotiation, it is not on current NHS pay and it is not with the prime minister.

“I repeat that unless and until he accepts the need to make real progress on the current pay claim, there will still be strikes across the NHS this winter.”

2600 Unite ambulance members in Wales will take strike action on 19 January and in four English ambulance trusts on 23 January.

ENDS

Notes to editors

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Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.