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NHS faces week of industrial action by up to 500,000 staff NHS faces week of industrial action by up to 500,000 staff
(35 minutes later)
The NHS is to be hit by strike action over pay for the first time in 32 years amid staff anger at being denied a 1% salary rise by the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt.The NHS is to be hit by strike action over pay for the first time in 32 years amid staff anger at being denied a 1% salary rise by the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt.
Up to nine unions representing around 500,000 NHS personnel, including nurses and midwives, are set to take part in co-ordinated action next month intended to force Hunt into a U-turn on a policy that has led to a widespread feeling of betrayal. Up to nine unions representing around 500,000 NHS personnel, including nurses and midwives, are set to take part in coordinated action next month intended to force Hunt into a U-turn on a policy that has led to a widespread feeling of betrayal.
Staff will stage a four-hour walkout between 7am and 11am on Monday 13 October. They will then take other industrial action short of a strike – such as not working unpaid overtime and insisting on taking rest breaks – on the following four days.Staff will stage a four-hour walkout between 7am and 11am on Monday 13 October. They will then take other industrial action short of a strike – such as not working unpaid overtime and insisting on taking rest breaks – on the following four days.
Unison, which represents 300,000 NHS staff in England, was expected announce on Wednesday that its members will be taking the industrial action, after those who took part in a ballot voted two to one in favour. Unison, which represents 300,000 NHS staff in England, was expected to announce on Wednesday that its members would be taking the industrial action, after those who took part in a ballot voted two to one in favour.
Subject to the outcome of their pending ballots, Unison was likely to be joined in the week of protest by Unite, which represents 100,000 NHS personnel, and the GMB and Royal College of Midwives, which each have about 30,000 members in the NHS in England. Those ballot results, due over the next two weeks, were expected to produce majorities in favour of industrial action.Subject to the outcome of their pending ballots, Unison was likely to be joined in the week of protest by Unite, which represents 100,000 NHS personnel, and the GMB and Royal College of Midwives, which each have about 30,000 members in the NHS in England. Those ballot results, due over the next two weeks, were expected to produce majorities in favour of industrial action.
“Our members will vote very strongly in favour of industrial action because the feeling is of real anger that they have been misled and let down by the government and that Jeremy Hunt has taken his bat and ball home [and will not enter into serious negotiations],” said a senior source at one of the unions whose ballot results will become clear soon. A senior source at one of the unions whose ballot results will become clear soon said: “Our members will vote very strongly in favour of industrial action because the feeling is of real anger that they have been misled and let down by the government and that Jeremy Hunt has taken his bat and ball home [and will not enter into serious negotiations].”
The NHS Pay Review Body recommended last year that all the NHS’s 1.3 million-strong workforce in England should receive a 1% pay rise for 2014-15. It said the service could afford that, despite its ongoing and unprecedented financial squeeze.The NHS Pay Review Body recommended last year that all the NHS’s 1.3 million-strong workforce in England should receive a 1% pay rise for 2014-15. It said the service could afford that, despite its ongoing and unprecedented financial squeeze.
But Hunt disregarded the body’s advice and decided that only some NHS staff should receive the small rise because the income of many personnel would rise through the service’s long-standing system of incremental pay, or pay progression – extra pay to reflect skills and experience – which the coalition wants to scrap.But Hunt disregarded the body’s advice and decided that only some NHS staff should receive the small rise because the income of many personnel would rise through the service’s long-standing system of incremental pay, or pay progression – extra pay to reflect skills and experience – which the coalition wants to scrap.
Union sources said nothing would be done during the industrial action, including the four-hour stoppage, to compromise the safety of patients. For example, nurses belonging to Unison who were looking after acutely ill patients in intensive care units would keep working. Similarly, members of the Royal College of Midwives would not walk out if they were caring for a woman in labour.Union sources said nothing would be done during the industrial action, including the four-hour stoppage, to compromise the safety of patients. For example, nurses belonging to Unison who were looking after acutely ill patients in intensive care units would keep working. Similarly, members of the Royal College of Midwives would not walk out if they were caring for a woman in labour.
Given how busy many NHS staff are as the service struggles to deal with rising demand for care, their withdrawal of goodwill on the other four days – such as by insisting on receiving overtime payment which they usually forego because extra hours are so common – could cause difficulties for the NHS hospital trusts that employ them. Despite their worsening financial health, they may have to hire temporary staff to cover shortages.Given how busy many NHS staff are as the service struggles to deal with rising demand for care, their withdrawal of goodwill on the other four days – such as by insisting on receiving overtime payment which they usually forego because extra hours are so common – could cause difficulties for the NHS hospital trusts that employ them. Despite their worsening financial health, they may have to hire temporary staff to cover shortages.
Managers in Partnership, which represents NHS managers, and the British Association of Occupational Therapists, whose members help rehabilitate frail, elderly people to allow them to get home from hospital, were also likely to strike on 13 October, if their members endorsed the action. Managers in Partnership, which represents NHS managers, and the British Association of Occupational Therapists, whose members help to rehabilitate elderly people to allow them to get home from hospital, were also likely to strike on 13 October, if their members endorsed the action.
Legally, unions planning any form of industrial action have to give all NHS employers affected by it at least a week’s notice.Legally, unions planning any form of industrial action have to give all NHS employers affected by it at least a week’s notice.
The Department of Health, which has said an across-the-board pay rise would be unaffordable, insisted it was seeking a fairer system of NHS pay. The Department of Health, which has said an across-the-board pay rise would be unaffordable, insisted it was seeking a fairer system of NHS pay. “We are disappointed that Unison is planning industrial action and has rejected our proposals to give NHS staff at least 1% additional pay this year and at least a further 1% next year,” a spokeswoman said.
“We are disappointed that Unison is planning industrial action and has rejected our proposals to give NHS staff at least 1% additional pay this year and at least a further 1% next year,” a spokeswoman said. “NHS staff are our greatest asset and we know they are working extremely hard. This is why, despite tough financial times, we’ve protected the NHS budget and now have 13,500 more clinical staff than in 2010. We want to protect these increases and cannot afford incremental pay increases – which disproportionately reward the highest earners – on top of a general pay rise without risking frontline NHS jobs. We remain keen to meet with the unions to discuss how we can work together to make the NHS pay system fairer and more affordable.”
“NHS staff are our greatest asset and we know they are working extremely hard. This is why despite tough financial times, we’ve protected the NHS budget and now have 13,500 more clinical staff than in 2010. We want to protect these increases and cannot afford incremental pay increases – which disproportionately reward the highest earners – on top of a general pay rise without risking frontline NHS jobs.
“We remain keen to meet with the unions to discuss how we can work together to make the NHS pay system fairer and more affordable.”