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6 Jun 08 - Result of Ballot
UNISON members working in the NHS
have voted to accept a multi-year pay offer worth more than 8%.
An individual postal ballot of 452,000 members working in the NHS saw 64.91% of of those taking part vote to accept the three-year offer worth 8.1% - and more to some members.
A full range of health workers, including nurses, paramedics, occupational therapists, porters, midwives, health care assistants, technical, admin, cleaning, security and catering staff backed the deal will establish a new NHS minimum wage of £6.77 in the second year.
This result means that UNISON and the RCN, the two largest NHS unions, representing the overwhelming majority of NHS staff, have now endorsed the multi-year agreement.
The recommendation of this branch to its members was to reject this offer. This decision was reached at an Extraordinary Branch Executive Meeting on 30 Apr 08 and was based on a number of considerations, including:
- Acceptance means locking us into a below inflation pay offer for 3 years.
- Although the deal provides greater weighting for lower paid members, a 3 year pay deal undermines the campaign to increase pay for those on the lower Agenda for Change bands.
- Inflation is not linked to wage demand as these were all below inflation last year.
- Financial forecasts suggest that inflation is set to rise and acceptance of a 3 year deal may leave members stuck with a pay deal well below inflation if this happens.
The current official inflation rate is inaccurate as it does not include housing costs, neither does it truly reflect the rise in expenditure ie fuel (petrol up 16.5%, diesel 23.3% in a year; figures from the AA); gas and electric increases of 12% in a year and food costs currently rising at 15.5% a year (6 times the official rate), all of which make up a greater percentage of spending.
Member's Meeting - 13 May 08
Our thanks to those members who came along to the members meeting on Tue 13 May to discuss the proposed pay award. Whilst we were few in number the discussions and information shared was useful in clarifying what actually is on offer and the potential consequences of tieing into a 3-year deal.
Everyone had a say and expressed their own viewpoint, either for acceptance or rejection, which gave food for thought to all present.
The implications of
- 1. acceptance
or - 2. rejection
were debated and all said they had a better understanding of what was involved as a result of the meeting. Those present agreed to talk with colleagues, distribute information on the pay deal and emphasise how important it is for members to use their vote in the forthcoming ballot, whatever their view.
As well as discussing the pay award, it also became apparent during the
meeting that there were staffing issues, pay issues, and that a feeling
of being bullied still exists within the hospital environment. We
discussed how to encourage greater participation by members and the importance
of members to recognise their own role in a successful union as we are
only as strong or effective as our membership choose to be. It was
stressed that the branch is here to help and support members, but in order
to do so we need members to communicate their concerns to us. This
can be in person, by telephone, e-mail, letter or carrier pigeon!
