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McConnell gives nurses full rise Scots nurses to get full pay rise
(about 1 hour later)
First Minister Jack McConnell has pledged that Scottish nurses will receive their full 2.5% increase from April this year. Nurses in Scotland are to be given their pay rise in full on 1 April, rather than the staged increase recommended by Chancellor Gordon Brown.
That means they will be paid more than nurses elsewhere in the UK. He announced last week that nurses would get a pay award of 1.5% from April and a further 1% from November.
The move was announced on Tuesday and is at odds with Chancellor Gordon Brown's plans for a phased pay rise for nurses south of the border. Scottish Health Minister Andy Kerr said the NHS finances are on a firm footing in Scotland and the nurses deserved their full 2.5% settlement now.
Health care union Unison said that it was delighted with the decision by the executive. Health care union Unison said that it was delighted with the decision.
Glyn Hawker, Unison's Scottish organiser for health, said: "We are delighted that the strong lobbying by Unison has borne fruit.Glyn Hawker, Unison's Scottish organiser for health, said: "We are delighted that the strong lobbying by Unison has borne fruit.
"The minister has listened to health workers' concerns. This reflects the more effective and co-operative nature of the NHS in Scotland.""The minister has listened to health workers' concerns. This reflects the more effective and co-operative nature of the NHS in Scotland."
Conference callConference call
About 300 nurses had been due to leave a conference at Dynamic Earth and stage a rally at Holyrood protesting over what they claimed was a pay cut in real terms.About 300 nurses had been due to leave a conference at Dynamic Earth and stage a rally at Holyrood protesting over what they claimed was a pay cut in real terms.
The Royal College of Nursing in Scotland said nurses had felt angry, frustrated and let down by last week's UK Government announcement on pay.The Royal College of Nursing in Scotland said nurses had felt angry, frustrated and let down by last week's UK Government announcement on pay.
It recommended a pay award of 1.5% from 1 April and a further 1% from November. Responding to the minister's announcement, Scottish National Party health spokeswoman Shona Robison said: "The SNP welcome this u-turn as it is the right decision.
The conference is in effect summing up a three-year-long campaign launched in 2004 aimed at increasing staffing levels in order to ensure the quality of care that patients receive. "At a time when we expect more and more from our nurses it is an insult that such a derisory offer was made by Labour in London - particularly when the pay review body recommended a higher figure and the government has found money for others."
Although the union's campaigning has been successful in some areas, it has failed to convince ministers in the key area of pay. Reaction in England
In a survey last month of more than 1,000 RCN members, almost two-thirds said they would be prepared to take some form of industrial action if they received an unsatisfactory pay deal. Unions south of the border called on the government to follow the Scottish lead.
Karen Jennings, head of health at Unison, said Scotland had only decided to give nurses their due.
"This decision should shame MPs in Westminster into taking action over the shabby way our nurses and health workers are being treated by the government in this pay round.
"It is untenable to leave nurses in England and Wales out in the cold. They deserve fair and equal treatment."
Dr Peter Carter, RCN general secretary, said: "By following the recommendations of the Independent Pay Review Body, Scotland's Executive is also setting an example that the Government in Westminster should follow as a matter of urgency."
He said the RCN did not want to see separate pay deals for the different countries of the UK.