Unite’s NHS members to hold ‘day of action’ on Wednesday, 3
December over pay
14 November 2008
Strike action in New
Year on cards, if ministers don’t make
concessions
Unite, the largest union in the
country, will hold a ‘work to rule’ day of action on Wednesday, 3
December over the ‘derisory’ three-year NHS pay deal, the union
announced today (Friday, 14 November). And if the government
doesn’t make the ‘necessary concessions’, Unite will ratchet up the
industrial action in January ‘up to and including strike
action’.
A joint meeting of Unite’s Health Sector National Industrial
Committee today (Friday, 14 November) - attended by representatives
from both the Amicus and TGWU sections – unanimously agreed this
programme of industrial action.
This followed the result of the national ballot of Unite health
sector members - announced earlier this week - when members voted
for industrial action, including strike action.
Unite’s Joint General Secretary, Derek Simpson said: ‘The
government’s strategy on the economy doesn’t fit with its strategy
on public sector pay. Our members voted to take industrial action
for the first time and the government should take very serious
notice.’
The day of protest will include a ban on non-essential
paperwork, email exchanges, attendance at meetings, telephone calls
and using personal mobiles. Members will be asked to work to their
Agenda for Change pay responsibilities.
Unite’s National Officer for Health, David Fleming identified
the ‘necessary concessions’ from ministers as focusing on:
- addressing the pay issue which has seen below inflation pay
rises for NHS staff for the last two years
- an understanding that the independence of the Pay Review Body
(PRB) will not be ‘abused’ in future
- an end to ‘back-stairs’ pay negotiations that affect all
NHS staff
- a full-scale review of the government’s public sector pay
strategy which has ‘failed in 2008’.
David Fleming said: ‘We will clearly communicate to all our
members what the day of action will mean, however the welfare of
clients and patients will be paramount and emergency cover
maintained.’
‘We have a democratic mandate for this action and ministers should
hear that our members are very angry at the continued
below-inflation pay awards, in effect, pay cuts, and the
undermining of the PRB.’
-ends-
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS:
- Members voted by 76% to 23% to take part in industrial action
short of a strike. There was a 53% vote in favour of strike action,
with 45% against.
- Unite’s policy is to defend and strengthen the independence of
the Pay Review Body (PRB) to arbitrate pay on an annual basis. The
PRB recommended a 2.75% pay award for this year, 2008/9. The
government, subsequently, imposed the three-year deal worth in
total 7.99%.
For further information, please ring: Karen Reay, National Officer,
Health, Unite 07798 531 004; David Fleming, National Officer,
Health, Unite 07798 531013; Shaun Noble, Communications Officer 020
7420 8951 (direct line) 07768 693 940 (mobile)
Unite has launched a national petition asking its health sector
members, as well as the general public, to sign the petition which
its hopes to present to Downing Street. The petition can be
downloaded from www.unitetheunion.org/health
Unite is campaigning against the imposed three-year NHS pay deal
which will mean pay rises being barely 50% of the current
rate of inflation. More information is available on the 'campaigns'
page of the website www.amicustheunion.org
Unite/CPHVA press releases can be seen on the CPHVA website:
www.unitetheunion.org/cphva
Unite is the largest union in the UK. 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 b
