Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe, Unite national officer for health, says you should voice your demands for a fair pay rise.
Unite-CPHVA wants to ensure that this summer you check your membership details and tell your colleagues to do the same so community practitioners (CPs) across the UK can exercise a strong and resounding voice in your ballots over pay.
Unite-CPHVA and its sister trade unions have set out objectives on what we believe is a fair and justified pay settlement for 2022/23.
- An inflation-proof pay rise that gives CPs some hope during the cost of living crisis that is squeezing the incomes of working people across the country.
- The lowest-paid workers, who see their incomes eroded the most by inflation, should have a fair pay rise that takes them beyond the government’s national living wage; the NHS shouldn’t pay poverty wages to those that give so much to care for others.
- A fair and justified pay rise for NHS workers would be a tool to tackle the recruitment and retention crisis in the NHS.
Scotland
In June, the Scottish Government made a final offer of 5% to NHS workers (as highlighted on page 10) after negotiations between Scottish Government and trade unions. This offer was below the inflation-proof pay rise Scottish health trade unions had requested prior to the negotiations, and the Unite Health Scotland Industrial Committee has recommended that members reject the offer. There will be a consultative ballot on the Scottish offer – and a simultaneous indicative industrial action ballot – for members to exercise their voice on pay.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
NHS pay in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is determined by the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB). Unite-CPHVA, alongside sister trade unions, submitted written and oral evidence to the PRB earlier this year. At the time of writing, we have been informed that the report has been submitted to the UK, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments, which will decide whether to accept the recommendations of the PRB or not. There have been several press reports before the report’s publication regarding the PRB’s recommendations. We expect the government announcement on NHS pay to be made in July 2022. We have also been told that, despite there being no functioning government at Stormont, Northern Ireland health workers will still receive a pay rise for 2022/23 at some point.
When the three governments have made their decision regarding the NHS pay award in their countries, Unite will be consulting members on the outcome and will give information and guidance to keep members informed to make a choice in this consultation.
For further information, visit unitetheunion.org/NHSpay
NHS pay: what can you do?
- Check your membership details are up to date and that you can participate in upcoming Unite-CPHVA consultative ballots on NHS pay: myunite.unitetheunion.org/login
- Speak to your Unite-CPHVA locally accredited representative regarding your membership details and ask for Unite promotional materials to display in your workplace and to give to your colleagues.
- Wear a Unite in Health sticker or badge to promote our message on NHS pay at work or out and about. Talk to friends, family and colleagues about why NHS workers earned and deserve a decent inflation-proof pay rise.
- Check your emails and your phone to look out for alerts from Unite-CPHVA on NHS pay and news on the consultative ballots we will ask you to take part in.
- Take part in webinars, union stalls, branch meeting, rallies and days of action that your local Unite branch or sister union branch may be organising.
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