| |
Pay deal accepted
UNISON members in the NHS have voted 2 to 1 in favour
of the revised pay offer secured by union negotiators in August.
The deal will put extra cash in the pockets of the lowest paid
workers in the NHS. In addition, non-clinical staff will have
their training budgets boosted, and clinicians will get money
to put towards their training fees - though only in England, where
the award is being staged.
Karen Jennings, UNISON Head of Health, said it was
a pragmatic vote. "I believe that workers in the health service
deserve better - however UNISON said the revised offer was the
best that could be achieved through negotiation, and the result
shows that members recognised that fact."
Members had been told that should they reject the
deal, they should also be prepared to support industrial action.
However, the union will be seeking more money next year to make
up for accepting this year's below-inflation award.
"We will be making a strong case for a catch-up
award," Ms Jennings said. "I don't believe health workers will
accept a below-inflation pay increase for two years running."
Click
here for ballot details
Scotland only
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ON THE NHS PAY OFFER
top
Q. What is the new pay offer worth?
A. Everyone would get at least 2.5% addition to
their basic pay from 1st April 2007. The lowest four pay Bands
(1-4) would get slightly more, i.e. between 3.4 and 2.7% from
1 November 2007. In fact Bands 1 and to incremental point 7 in
band 2 would get a minimum £400 increase. The difference
between 2,5% and £400 being payable from 1st
November 2007.
A table of the hourly rate increases
is below.
top
Q. If we accept the offer, when would it be paid?
A. We would press for the improved rates on Bands
1 - 4 would be paid in November or by December at the latest.
top
Q. If we reject the offer, what would happen?
A. The improvement of the extra money for the low
paid would be withdrawn, leaving just the 2.5% which has already
been paid in Scotland.
top
Q. Could we get a better offer?
A. UNISON's Service Group Executive has discussed
the offer in detail. It concluded that this was, ‘the best
that could be achieved through negotiation.' In other words,
members would have to be prepared to take industrial action to
have any chance of getting more. There is no point in voting to
reject unless you are prepared to take industrial action.
top
Q. Is the Government likely to improve the offer
further?
A. The UK Government and the Scottish Executive
have indicated that this is the final offer and there is no room
for further improvements to the offer.
top
Q. What is the rate of inflation?
A. Inflation peaked in March 2007 with the Retail
Price Index (including mortgage costs) at 4.8% and the Consumer
Price index at 3.1%. Since then inflation has gone down. The July
figures were CPI at 1.9% and RPI at 3.8%.
top
Q. What are other NHS trade unions doing?
A. UNISON is asking its members in an individual
ballot whether they wish to accept this new pay offer. No other
union has balloted for industrial action and none are likely to
do so. All other unions in Scotland accepted the prior lower 2.5
% offer (except TGWU, Society of Podiatrists and GMB)
top
Q. Why should I bother to vote?
A. The worst outcome would be a low turnout. It's
not just your democratic right but your responsibility to tell
your Executive what you want them to do. This is a difficult decision
but if you don't vote you are leaving it to someone else to decide
on your pay increase. Even though the 2.5% payment was made in
July members in Scotland are urged to record a vote in this ballot.
top
Q. What are the proposed rates of pay? How do
I find out more?
A. Your branch has full details of the offer. Also,
you can see the tables below
to view the proposed rates of pay.
- All yearly figures rounded up to nearest pound
- All hourly and weekly figures rounded up to nearest pence
|
HOURLY RATES : APRIL 2007
|
|
BAND 1
|
|
POINT
|
YEARLY
|
|
HOURLY
|
WEEKLY
|
|
1
|
£12,077
|
=
|
£6.18
|
£231.62
|
|
2
|
£12,481
|
=
|
£6.38
|
£239.37
|
|
3
|
£12,827
|
=
|
£6.56
|
£246.01
|
|
4
|
£13,174
|
=
|
£6.74
|
£252.66
|
|
BAND 2
|
|
POINT
|
YEARLY
|
|
HOURLY
|
WEEKLY
|
|
2
|
£12,481
|
=
|
£6.38
|
£239.37
|
|
3
|
£12,827
|
=
|
£6.56
|
£246.01
|
|
4
|
£13,174
|
=
|
£6.74
|
£252.66
|
|
5
|
£13,578
|
=
|
£6.98
|
£261.74
|
|
6
|
£13,983
|
=
|
£7.15
|
£268.18
|
|
7
|
£14,388
|
=
|
£7.36
|
£275.95
|
|
8
|
£14,907
|
=
|
£7.62
|
£285.90
|
|
9
|
£15,485
|
=
|
£7.92
|
£296.99
|
|
BAND 3
|
|
POINT
|
YEARLY
|
|
HOURLY
|
WEEKLY
|
|
7
|
£14,388
|
=
|
£7.36
|
£275.95
|
|
8
|
£14,907
|
=
|
£7.62
|
£285.90
|
|
9
|
£15,485
|
=
|
£7.92
|
£296.99
|
|
10
|
£15,832
|
=
|
£8.10
|
£303.64
|
|
11
|
£16,294
|
=
|
£8.33
|
£312.50
|
|
12
|
£16,815
|
=
|
£8.60
|
£322.50
|
|
13
|
£17,219
|
=
|
£8.81
|
£330.24
|
|
BAND 4
|
|
POINT
|
YEARLY
|
|
HOURLY
|
WEEKLY
|
|
12
|
£16,815
|
=
|
£8.60
|
£322.50
|
|
13
|
£17,219
|
=
|
£8.81
|
£330.24
|
|
14
|
£17,854
|
=
|
£9.13
|
£342.42
|
|
15
|
£18,490
|
=
|
£9.46
|
£354.62
|
|
16
|
£19,067
|
=
|
£9.75
|
£365.69
|
|
17
|
£19,645
|
=
|
£10.05
|
£376.77
|
|
18
|
£20,223
|
=
|
£10.34
|
£387.86
|
|
HOURLY RATES : NOVEMBER 2007
|
|
BAND 1
|
|
POINT
|
YEARLY
|
|
HOURLY
|
WEEKLY
|
|
1
|
£12,182
|
=
|
£6.23
|
£233.64
|
|
2
|
£12,577
|
=
|
£6.43
|
£241.22
|
|
3
|
£12,914
|
=
|
£6.60
|
£247.68
|
|
4
|
£13,253
|
=
|
£6.78
|
£254.18
|
|
BAND 2
|
|
POINTS
|
YEARLY
|
|
HOURLY
|
WEEKLY
|
|
2
|
£12,577
|
=
|
£6.43
|
£241.22
|
|
3
|
£12,914
|
=
|
£6.60
|
£247.68
|
|
4
|
£13,253
|
=
|
£6.78
|
£254.18
|
|
5
|
£13,647
|
=
|
£6.98
|
£261.74
|
|
6
|
£14,042
|
=
|
£7.18
|
£269.31
|
|
7
|
£14,437
|
=
|
£7.38
|
£276.89
|
|
8
|
£14,945
|
=
|
£7.64
|
£286.63
|
|
9
|
£15,523
|
=
|
£7.94
|
£297.72
|
|
BAND 3
|
|
POINT
|
YEARLY
|
|
HOURLY
|
WEEKLY
|
|
7
|
£14,437
|
=
|
£7.38
|
£276.89
|
|
8
|
£14,945
|
=
|
£7.64
|
£286.63
|
|
9
|
£15,523
|
=
|
£7.94
|
£297.72
|
|
10
|
£15,870
|
=
|
£8.12
|
£304.37
|
|
11
|
£16,332
|
=
|
£8.35
|
£313.23
|
|
12
|
£16,853
|
=
|
£8.62
|
£323.22
|
|
13
|
£17,257
|
=
|
£8.83
|
£330.97
|
|
BAND 4
|
|
POINT
|
YEARLY
|
|
HOURLY
|
WEEKLY
|
|
12
|
£16,853
|
=
|
£8.62
|
£323.22
|
|
13
|
£17,257
|
=
|
£8.83
|
£330.97
|
|
14
|
£17,892
|
=
|
£9.15
|
£343.15
|
|
15
|
£18,528
|
=
|
£9.48
|
£355.35
|
|
16
|
£19,105
|
=
|
£9.77
|
£366.42
|
|
17
|
£19,683
|
=
|
£10.07
|
£377.50
|
|
18
|
£20,261
|
=
|
£10.36
|
£388.59
|
top
|
|
Health
Service - Pay Questions and Answers