GMB calls on members to reject NHS pay rise

23 Mar 18

The GMB union has urged its members to reject the proposed 6.5% pay rise for NHS staff.

It is the only union out of the 14 consulted on the pay increase that is encouraging its NHS members to reject the offer. The GMB represents 35% of all ambulance staff in England

On Wednesday, ministers NHS employers and unions drew up plans to give NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts a pay rise between 6.5% and 29% over the next three years.

The half of the NHS staff already at the top of their pay scale will get the 6.5% while the other half will get a pay rise of between 9% and 29%. Those at the bottom of their pay scale will receive the biggest rise by 2020-21.

The pay rise will improve the income of 1.3 million NHS staff- excluding doctors and dentists - especially those at the bottom of the pay scale, who will benefit immediately from an extra £2,000 this year.

However, the GMB has suggested that a 6.5% increase over three years actually means a real terms pay cut, given that the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that RPI inflation is set to hit 9.6% during the same period.

 

 

Kevin Brandstatter, GMB national officer, said: “Jeremy Hunt’s promise of jam tomorrow is simply not good enough for NHS workers who, during the past eight years, have faced the biggest pay pinch in living memory.

“Long-serving, dedicated health service workers have had thousands of pounds swiped from their pay packets since 2010 by the government’s cruel and unnecessary pay cap.

“This deal doesn’t put things right and continues to punish those who have endured the pinch on pay.”

PF understands that if GMB members were to vote against the pay rise, it could still go ahead.

Other unions have more NHS staff members than GMB. Unison has the most NHS members while Unite has approximately 100,000 members who are due to be affected by the pay rise.

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