'Threat' To Stage NHS Pay Award Angers Unite
The warning comes from the NHS Chief Executive, David Nicholson in the wake of initial opposition to the three-year pay deal, worth 7.999%, from Unite, the third largest union in the NHS, and a number of other unions and professional organisations.
In a letter, Mr Nicholson said: 'If the proposed agreement is not accepted by union members, the Government reserves the right to review its response to the NHS PRB (Pay Review Body) recommendations and decide whether to accept, stage or abate them in the context of a one year settlement.'
Unite is concerned about signing up to a three-year pay deal given the very real inflationary pressures in the economy, such as increased mortgage payments and spiralling utility costs. Unite also wishes to maintain the independence of the Pay Review Body to arbitrate pay on an annual basis.
Unite Head of Health, Kevin Coyne said: 'David Nicholson's letter is a clear threat to NHS staff to accept a below inflation three-year pay deal or face the consequences.'
'The government is making a mistake if it thinks it can tie our members to an effective three-year pay cut and threaten to penalise them by staging this year's pay award if they don't accept it.'
'The government needs to understand that it must work with our members and try to meet their very reasonable expectations, not undervalue and attempt to bully and intimidate them.'
Kevin Coyne said that last year's 2.5% staged award in England - while NHS colleagues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland received the full amount from 1 April - created 'an atmosphere of seething and simmering resentment that must not be repeated'.
Unite (TGWU section), which represents 12,000 ancillary and ambulance members, has already recommended rejecting the three-year deal. A decision for members represented by Unite (Amicus section), which includes such professional bodies as the Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association, and the Mental Health Nurses Association, will be made by the national health sector committee on 22 April.
Notes
Unite/CPHVA press releases can be seen on the CPHVA website: http://www.unitetheunion.com/cphva
Unite (Amicus section) is the third largest union in the NHS. It has seven professional sections: the Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association, the Mental Health Nurses Association, the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists, the Society of Sexual Health Advisers, the Medical Practitioners' Union, College of Healthcare Chaplains, and the Hospital Physicists Association.
Unite was formed by an amalgamation of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers' Union in May 2007.
Unite The Union
"Ameninþare" la etapa a NHS Plãtiþi Premiul Angers Unite - 'Threat' To Stage NHS Pay Award Angers Unite - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate