Unite's ballot of members in health has demonstrated the strength
of feeling among the NHS workforce with 89 per
cent of members believe that the pay award (3.6%)
is unacceptable and are prepared to take action up to including
strike action.
The strength of feeling around government cuts was even greater
with 95 per cent of members expressing
their willingness to take action in order to oppose cuts to the
NHS.
We are calling on the UK government to meet with us and in order
to avoid a strike that is likely to affect a number of Trusts
(including Ambulance Trusts) and a number of national
organisations such as NHS England and NHS Blood and
Transplant.
The pay award offered to Agenda for Change NHS staff (i.e. most
staff other than doctors) was below RPI and CPIH. It is
less than the award for doctors and it is less than that offered
through negotiations in Scotland.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “When it came
into power this government was clear that the NHS was broken. But
staff are still leaving in droves and morale is still at an all
time low. The NHS can't be repaired while the government
continues to erode pay and drastically cut NHS budgets.
"This pay award does nothing to reverse 15 years of real
terms pay reduction. The lowest paid in the NHS will feel
especially cheated because part of the award was paid out early
in order to get them above the minimum wage. The fact that that
needed to be done shows how far we are from where we need to
be."
The consultative ballot and survey by Unite also found that two
thirds of staff are already experiencing the real-life effects of
cuts in their workplace. An overwhelming majority are prepared to
take industrial action to oppose the further degradation of
health services.
Unite national officer for health Richard Munn added: "On
the issue of cuts our members are baffled - it is literal
Orwellian doublespeak. How can the NHS be “fixed” with
thousands of staff at risk of losing their jobs?
"Unite members are not resistant to better use of
technology, ill health prevention and health
promotion or the move from hospital to community as outlined
in the 10 year plan, provided skills and staff are not
reduced. However, to propose huge job losses on
the scale suggested is completely nonsensical and smacks of
headline grabbing politics as opposed to delivering better
services. It is no surprise that almost all members who
voted are prepared to take action against
cuts."
Unite is committed to resolving this issue and will work with the
government to do so, but given the lack of willingness from
ministers to date, Unite will progress towards the next formal
ballot we are required to carry out in order that we can take
action. Our members have witnessed the NHS deteriorate for years
and feel duty bound to take a stand to defend it.
