Unite members working in health and social care have voted to accept a pay improvement offer from their employer. The pay increase amounts to 5% across all grades, with a lump sum of £1505.
An 81% majority of members voted to accept the offer, which will see health and social care workers receive the same pay increase offered to NHS workers in England and Wales, bringing the industrial pay dispute for 2023 to 2024 to an end.
The offer came after a campaign of mounting strike actions by health workers leading up to the one-day public sector strike in Northern Ireland on 18 January.
General secretary of Unite Sharon Graham said: ‘I am very proud of the role members of Unite have played in securing this historic win. Health and Social Care workers set themselves the goal of restoring pay parity with workers elsewhere in the NHS.’
Regional officer for health Brenda Stevenson added: ‘This is a tremendous win for health workers in Northern Ireland. Shockingly this is now the second time in five years that healthcare workers in Northern Ireland have had to stand on picket lines in winter to defend NHS pay parity and indeed to force the politicians to return to government to deliver it.’
Unite will now continue their efforts. As Brenda said: ‘We cannot afford to see a repeat. Unite will now continue to work alongside the other health unions to secure legislation guaranteeing NHS pay parity and mandating safe staffing levels.’
Image | Shutterstock
