‘Nurses have made their voice heard loud and clear’
STEVE FORD, EDITOR
16 December, 2022 By Ella Devereux
Source:  Keith M Ramsey / Shutterstock.com
Members of the GMB union in Scotland have voted to reject an improved pay offer from the Scottish Government.
The union has called on Scotland’s health secretary to meet with members “urgently” before Christmas to discuss pay, warning that it still has strong mandates for strike action across the country.
GMB announced yesterday that following a consultative ballot, 66% of NHS staff who voted chose to reject the new pay offer, which was put forward following talks with the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and trade unions.
“It is important the cabinet secretary takes on board the views of all NHS staff and not just some”
Keir Greenaway
The offer would see NHS workers given an average 7.5% pay increase for 2022-23, equating in pay rises ranging from £2,205 to £2,751, depending on pay band.
The Scottish Government had previously put forward a £2,205 pay increase for all Agenda for Change staff, which was rejected by unions across country.
Now the new deal would see an improved pay increase of between £2,450 and 2,751 for staff working between Band 5 and Band 8A. Those in other bands would still receive the previous pay offer of £2,205.
The offer also includes a commitment to reduce the working week from 37.5 hours to 36 hours with no loss of pay.
Related article
GMB Scotland senior organiser for public service, Keir Greenaway, said the result reflects “the realities of the offer” – that it is still below-inflation for the majority of staff.
He said: “The Scottish Government has contrasted its approach on trade union engagement with that of the UK Government, so we are now asking the cabinet secretary to practice what he preaches by meeting our members this side of Christmas to continue discussions over their value and the sustainability of their services.”
This announcement comes in the same week that members belonging to Unison and Unite voted to accept the improved pay offer.
Meanwhile members of the Royal College of Nursing have until Monday 19 December to vote in a consultative ballot on the offer.
Related articles
Mr Greenaway added: “It is important the cabinet secretary takes on board the views of all NHS staff and not just some, because we are talking about frontline workers who understand first-hand the crisis across service delivery and patient care, and they have clear and credible views on how these services can be recovered in the months and years ahead.”
GMB Scotland has over 8,000 members employed across the NHS and its associated services, including 1,700 members in the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Last month the union suspended a planned 26-hour ambulance strike last month to let members vote on the new pay offer.
Mr Greenaway warned that GMB members in major services and health board areas across Scotland still had “strong legal mandates” for strike action.
He said: “An imposition of this offer without further discussion would be seriously detrimental to the industrial relations the Scottish Government have been quick to promote.
“If the cabinet secretary wants to preserve those relations, he must meet our members urgently.”
Humza Yousaf
Responding to the announcement, Scotland’s health secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I welcome that Unison and Unite members have accepted this record pay offer, but clearly it’s disappointing that the GMB have rejected it.”
He said that the Scottish Government had “engaged extensively” with trade union representatives over recent weeks, “leaving no stone unturned” to reach an offer which responded to concerns from NHS staff.
He added: “Constructive engagement is crucial, and I would urge the UK Government to get back to the negotiating table with the unions as we have done in Scotland.
“I expect to meet with the unions again before Christmas.”
Related articles
Tagged with: Pay dispute
or a new account to join the discussion. 
The findings of a roundtable at which experts explored what needs to happen if care for plus-sized patients is to be optimised. Download free of charge.
More Sponsor focus
Band 8a
Middlesex University
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Practice Plus Group
Practice Plus Group
Practice Plus Group
Practice Plus Group
