Unions demand pay rise for one million NHS staff
The UK's largest trade unions are calling on the Chancellor to boost wages for NHS workers and compensate for previous limits.
Friday 15 September 2017 12:24, UK
NHS unions have demanded the Government hand a 3.9% pay boost and an 拢800 cash payment to more than one million health workers.
In a letter to Philip Hammond, 14 unions have called on the Chancellor to use his Budget statement on 22 November to raise pay for NHS staff in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) rate of inflation.
The unions, which include the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, also want staff to be compensated for wage rise restrictions over the past seven years.
The UK's three largest trade unions - UNISON, Unite and GMB - backed the demand, which claims Government limits on public sector pay since 2010 have seen NHS workers suffer real terms pay cuts of around 15%.
Pressure has already been heaped on Mr Hammond to make a generous offer to public sector workers in the Budget, with Downing Street having confirmed on Tuesday it has scrapped the 1% cap on annual pay rises.
The call came as a 2% rise for police and 1.7% wage boost for prison officers was dismissed as not enough by unions, who have threatened strikes over pay.
Latest inflation figures released the same day revealed the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) had reached 2.9% in August, with the RPI calculated at 3.9%.
Royal College of Nursing chief executive and general secretary Janet Davies said: "If the Government gives nurses the same deal as the police, it would still be a real terms pay cut.
"When the next pay review body process begins, the Government must allow it to be truly independent and able to recommend a meaningful increase that helps hardworking staff with the cost of living.
"It must be fully-funded and not force the NHS to cut services or jobs to pay for it."
In March, the Government accepted the recommendations of pay review bodies for doctors, dentists and other NHS staff for 2017/18.
A Government spokesperson said: "Public sector workers, including NHS staff, do a fantastic job and the Government is committed to ensuring they can continue to deliver world-class public services.
"The Government will continue to ensure that the overall package is fair while also being affordable to taxpayers as a whole.
"The detail of 2018/19 pay remits for specific pay review bodies will be discussed and agreed as part of the Budget process and will be set out in due course."