A RECORD 5% pay deal being offered to NHS workers in Scotland is “unacceptable”, union bosses have said.
Unite joined other unions in criticising the offer, branding it a “substantial, real terms pay cut” which it will urge members to reject.
The union warned ministers that unless they “return with an acceptable offer”, they could face the prospect of industrial action.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s NHS Scotland workers have made it crystal clear that the current offer on the table is a substantial real terms pay cut, and it is unacceptable.
“This pay offer certainly won’t address the current cost of living crisis facing our members.
READ MORE: David Duguid accused of being bought for Boris Johnson support vote
“The Scottish Government needs to return with an acceptable offer to our NHS workers or face potential industrial action by our members, who will have the full support of their union in this fight for fair pay.”
It comes after Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced the “biggest single-year NHS pay uplift since devolution”.
Regarding the proposed pay hike, he said: “It is a demonstration of how much we value our NHS staff who have worked tirelessly to keep us safe during the course of the pandemic.”
The Royal College of Midwives said the offer – which would see frontline NHS staff receive pay rises of between £1000 and £2400 a year – is “simply not good enough”, while the Royal College of Nursing said it “falls far short of our expectations of a fair pay award”.
James O’Connell, Unite’s regional officer, said: “Unite’s NHS representatives have formally recommended rejection of the current pay offer. Staff are exhausted, morale is at an all-time low: it’s time to recognise our NHS staff and pay them as if we care for them the same way as they care for us.”
He called on Mr Yousaf to “re-engage with the trade unions and to reopen the pay discussions”, and if not, Unite would have “no option” but to canvass for industrial action.
O’Connell added if this does not happen, “Unite will be left with no option but to canvass thousands of our NHS Scotland members in the coming weeks over industrial action”.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel