MEMBERS of the Unison trade union have voted to accept the Scottish Government’s four per cent pay offer for most NHS workers.
Unison, Scotland’s largest public sector union, had campaigned for the previous three-year deal to be renegotiated in light of the pandemic.
In March, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman set out the pay rise of at least 4% for staff with contracts under the Agenda for Change system.
Almost 50,000 Unison members were balloted on the proposal and 35% voted, with 84% accepting the pay deal.
Union officials say they will now push for the deal to be implemented as soon as possible.
Unison’s head of health Willie Duffy said: “This pay rise represents a fair increase for our members and means the majority of our NHS staff will receive a pay increase of at least 4%, which will be backdated to December.
“Scotland’s health workers go above and beyond to keep our NHS services running – not just during the pandemic but every day – and we’re delighted to have secured them a fair pay increase.”
However another trade union, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland, announced yesterday that its members have voted to reject the offer.
Some 68.5% of RCN members who responded to the consultation on the pay deal rejected it.
RCN Scotland chairwoman Julie Lamberth said there should be further negotiations, adding: “The pandemic has given the public a better understanding of the safety critical role of nursing and our profession’s contribution to the NHS in Scotland.
“The Scottish Government must do more to recognise this, to demonstrate that they value our nursing workforce and to address the years of underinvestment to ensure Scotland can retain and recruit the nursing workforce it needs.”
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