UK
Unions suspend strike action by ambulance workers after government agrees to talks
NHS ambulances parked outside the accident and emergency department of St Thomas' Hospital in central Londo
UNIONS suspended planned strike action by ambulance workers today after the government agreed to resume talks on pay.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay wrote to GMB and Unison earlier today, within hours of workers saying they would reduce emergency cover during strike days on March 6 and 8.
The Department of Health and Social Care has now agreed to discuss pay for both this year and the next, as well improvements to other terms and conditions, GMB said.
Talks are expected to commence next week.
GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison said: “This is a huge shift from the government, who for months have refused to consider negotiations on pay.
“Now, they are saying they are willing to sit down and talk.
“The government has given assurances of additional cash for both years, above existing budgets, and that any deal will respect the existing Agenda for Change structure.
“The strike will return with a vengeance should talks break down.”
MORNINGSTAR GBCP
Breaking: Government makes U-turn on nurse pay for 2022-23
03 MARCH, 2023 BY GEMMA MITCHELL
Unison members on strike in Liverpool on 23 January 2023
Source: Joe Baldwin
NHS nurses in England look set for an additional pay offer for 2022-23 in what would be a major U-turn from the government and a success for unions’ strike campaigns.
Unison announced late this afternoon that it was suspending its upcoming strike day for 8 March to enter pay talks with the government.
It said it had made this decision “after the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed there would be additional investment in pay for both this year (2022-23) and next (2023-24)”.
Achieving an improvement to the 2022-23 NHS pay award is what health unions have been fighting for through their industrial action campaigns that have been ongoing since last year.
However, the government in Westminster has always insisted that it was not willing to change the pay award for 2022-23, and instead wanted to focus on pay awards for 2023-24.
Unison head of health Sara Gorton said: “Unions said all along they could pause strikes if ministers would only commit to formal talks to boost pay for this year.
“The government has finally promised extra investment in pay for both this and next year.”
However, Ms Gorton warned that strike plans would be resumed if the talks did not result in a deal.
Fellow union GMB has also suspended its strikes that were planned for March 6 and 8 in order to join the negotiations, which will be held through the NHS staff council.
The government's offer for pay talks follows backlash from Unison and other NHS unions over solo negotiations that have been taking place between the Royal College of Nursing and ministers since 22 February.
The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
03 MARCH, 2023 BY GEMMA MITCHELL
Unison members on strike in Liverpool on 23 January 2023
Source: Joe Baldwin
NHS nurses in England look set for an additional pay offer for 2022-23 in what would be a major U-turn from the government and a success for unions’ strike campaigns.
Unison announced late this afternoon that it was suspending its upcoming strike day for 8 March to enter pay talks with the government.
“The government has finally promised extra investment in pay for both this and next year"
Sara Gorton
It said it had made this decision “after the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed there would be additional investment in pay for both this year (2022-23) and next (2023-24)”.
Achieving an improvement to the 2022-23 NHS pay award is what health unions have been fighting for through their industrial action campaigns that have been ongoing since last year.
However, the government in Westminster has always insisted that it was not willing to change the pay award for 2022-23, and instead wanted to focus on pay awards for 2023-24.
Unison head of health Sara Gorton said: “Unions said all along they could pause strikes if ministers would only commit to formal talks to boost pay for this year.
“The government has finally promised extra investment in pay for both this and next year.”
However, Ms Gorton warned that strike plans would be resumed if the talks did not result in a deal.
Fellow union GMB has also suspended its strikes that were planned for March 6 and 8 in order to join the negotiations, which will be held through the NHS staff council.
The government's offer for pay talks follows backlash from Unison and other NHS unions over solo negotiations that have been taking place between the Royal College of Nursing and ministers since 22 February.
The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment