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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Scottish NHS strikes on hold while pay offer negotiated | Scottish NHS strikes on hold while pay offer negotiated |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Royal College of Nursing and GMB have put strike action on hold | The Royal College of Nursing and GMB have put strike action on hold |
| The threat of widespread strike action in Scotland's NHS has been put on hold by unions. | |
| The GMB and Royal College of Nursing will not call strikes while negotiations take place on the 2023 pay offer, BBC Scotland understands. | |
| Health secretary Humza Yousaf said the breakthrough was "very welcome". | |
| Negotiations are likely to take several weeks and the unions still have a mandate to call members out on strike if they are unsuccessful. | Negotiations are likely to take several weeks and the unions still have a mandate to call members out on strike if they are unsuccessful. |
| If a deal is reached, the pay rise would be backdated to January. | |
| The announcement follows talks with the Scottish government on Thursday, aimed at ending the long-running pay dispute affecting staff in NHS Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). | |
| More talks in bid to avert NHS strikes in Scotland | More talks in bid to avert NHS strikes in Scotland |
| Nurses in Scotland to strike over NHS pay deal | Nurses in Scotland to strike over NHS pay deal |
| The three unions with mandates to strike are the GMB, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). | The three unions with mandates to strike are the GMB, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). |
| They said they would now enter an "intensive period of negotiations" on the 2023 pay deal. | They said they would now enter an "intensive period of negotiations" on the 2023 pay deal. |
| All three unions rejected the 2022 pay offer which was worth around 7.5% on average. It was accepted by others including Unison and Unite. | |
| Unions still have a mandate to call NHS staff on strike if pay talks are unsuccessful | |
| On Thursday, the Scottish government made new proposals including accelerated negotiations on the 2023 pay offer, and an extra payment for staff. | |
| RCN Scotland said it had paused a formal announcement of strike action in response to the talks. | |
| Pat Cullen, RCN General Secretary said: "The Scottish government has shown a willingness to return to the negotiating table and to act to address the nursing workforce crisis. | |
| "The pressure from our members has been key to these negotiations moving forward. We need to see this process through. " | |
| 'Good faith' | 'Good faith' |
| The GMB said Mr Yousaf had made a commitment to effectively backdate the value of any agreed terms for 2023 to January, with the deal fully implemented by April. | |
| The union said that negotiations would start next week. | |
| GMB Scotland senior organiser Keir Greenaway said: "GMB is prepared to engage in good faith with the Scottish government on fresh proposals to resolve this dispute. | |
| "This has been a marathon for our members and there is still some distance to go, but their strength has now secured more money for all staff in the year ahead." | |
| Health Secretary Humza Yousaf held talks with unions leaders on Thursday | |
| The RCM said it was "cautiously optimistic" that Mr Yousaf would meet its calls for a decent pay deal. | |
| But the union said its mandate for industrial action remained and it "would have no hesitation in using it" if talks did not progress. | |
| RCM Scotland director Jaki Lambert said: "We are grateful to the cabinet secretary that he has acknowledged this and has committed to finding a meaningful solution to this dispute. | |
| "We are hopeful that this is a turning point in the dispute which, yes, is focused on pay, but is just as much about the conditions our members have to work in." | |
| 'Constructive and open' | |
| Strike dates had been due to be announced before the latest breakthrough. Scotland's health secretary Humza Yousaf welcomed the move. | |
| He said: "I have always maintained that I will leave no stone unturned in order to avert industrial action in our health service. | |
| "This positive way forward is a direct result of all parties continuing meaningful dialogue in a constructive an open manner. | |
| He added: "This is in stark contrast to the UK government, who have this week introduced draconian legislation curbing the rights of staff in Scotland's NHS and other devolved public services. | |
| "I would urge the UK government to follow Scotland's example and get back round the negotiating table." | |
| The threat of strikes in the NHS in Scotland is not over but the possibility is now greatly reduced. | |
| It would have been difficult to reopen the 2022 pay deal. It had been accepted by other major NHS unions including Unison and Unite. | |
| The idea is that this year's offer - which would normally apply from April - will be backdated to January. | |
| There can be no certainty that a deal will be reached though. | |
| If talks fail, strikes are still an option. | |
| But the chance of strike action adding to the difficulties facing the NHS over the winter is now greatly reduced. |