NHS strikes suspended following latest pay offer

Health worker strikes have been suspended following a new pay offer worth up to 11 per cent.

Unison and GMB members had been due to take industrial action – but will now undertake a ballot on the Scottish government’s latest offer.

Health secretary Humza Yousaf made what he described as a “fair” offer on Thursday – warning the unions there was no more money left for further pay increases.

The final pay offer would mean salary bands one to four receive a flat rate payment of £2,205, and salary bands five to seven pay increases ranging from £2,280 to £2,660.

It means the increases range from 11.24 per cent for the lower paid workers to 5.56 for staff on the top of band seven.

GMB members across the Scottish Ambulance Service had been due to strike from 6am tomorrow (Monday) – but will now await the result of the new ballot.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Keir Greenaway said: “GMB is clear that staff must be valued better if government wants to recruit and retain the people needed to tackle the chronic understaffing crisis across NHS frontline services.

“And better value in the pay and conditions of NHS staff will also mean our hard-pressed members have a greater chance of confronting the cost-of-living crisis this winter and beyond.

“The reality is this offer remains below inflation for the vast majority of staff, but it requires our members consultation given the additional monies tabled by the government.

“Whether our members believe it goes far enough to merit acceptance is another matter entirely after a decade of cuts to pay and services, and over two years on the frontline response to Covid-19.

“Strikes scheduled for this Monday in the ambulance service will now be suspended to allow consultations to take place, although strike mandates already secured remain protected.”

Unison has recommended its members accept the latest pay offer.

The ballot will open on Monday and run until 12th December.

The union’s Scotland health committee chairwoman, Wilma Brown, said: “These have been long, difficult negotiations and we would never have got this final offer had it not been for the resolve of Unison NHS members. I want to thank them for standing firm.

“We have decided to recommend this offer to our members, as we believe it’s the best that can be achieved through negotiations. It will go some way to helping NHS members with the cost-of-living crisis.

“However, as we have said to the Scottish government, there’s a huge amount of work to do to get our NHS back to being world class again. This must be the start of the reforms and investment needed to get the NHS back to full health.”

Unison’s Scotland head of health Matt McLaughlin  urged all members to take part in the ballot.