Posted 28 March 2023 - 09:00
Posted 28 March 2023 - 09:00
News
Voting opens: have your say on nurses' new pay offer
Union members to have their say on improved offer wrung from ministers after series of historic strikes by nurses
Union members to have their say on improved offer wrung from ministers after series of historic strikes by nurses
All health unions representing nurses have announced their ballot dates on the government’s new pay offer, with the RCN’s starting today.
Unite confirmed this week that its ballot would run from Friday 31 March until Friday 28 April. The RCN and Unison said their pay consultations would run from today (28 March) until Friday14 April.
After weeks of negotiations with health unions and several months of strike action, the government offered all staff in England on Agenda for Change contracts a 5% pay rise for 2023-24.
The offer also includes a one-off payment of between £1,655 and £3,789 for 2022-23. That is on top of a 4% consolidated increase already offered for 2022-23.
Besides improved offer, ministers made commitment to safe staffing framework
In addition, ministers agreed to create a new ‘pay spine’ exclusively for all nursing staff and made a commitment to a national safe staffing framework, focusing on registered nurses.
The RCN and Unison are recommending their members accept the deal. Unite is not making any recommendation to members but said it would fully support its members’ decision.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: ‘Ministers spent many months ignoring the voice of nursing and they forced us to take extremely difficult strike action before recognising the need to look again at pay in the NHS.
‘Weeks of negotiation resulted in a new offer and it’s only right that we ask our members to vote again and to give their view on the government’s proposal. Whatever the members decide, we will build on the last few months of campaigning for fair pay and recognition.’
Unite’s national officer for the health sector Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe said: ‘Unite’s NHS members have been standing up for fair pay, safe staffing and to defend our NHS. Now they have their chance to say if the government’s deal is good enough and, crucially, if they are convinced that this deal will not be funded to the detriment of patient care.’
Barclay calls offer 'fair and balanced' and urges nurses to accept it
Health and social care secretary Steve Barclay urged nurses to accept the offer, saying it was ‘fair and balanced’.
Mr Barclay said: ‘I'm working with the Treasury to ensure my department has the money it needs to fully fund this pay offer, which will include additional funding and reprioritising existing budgets.
'This is on top of the existing funding we have already made available for a pay increase of up to 3.5% in 2023-24.
‘I want to be clear – there will be no impact to front-line services or quality of care as a result of this offer.’
The RCN’s ballot opened to members at 9am on 28 March and nurses will have until 9am on 14 April to vote. The RCN is urging all members to ensure their details are up to date.
RCN members can check their details and log in to vote by clicking here.
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