As the NHS celebrated its 72nd-anniversary last weekend, health unions wrote to Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling for pay talks to start soon in order to provide staff with wage boost before the end of the year. Tara Pilkington reports.
Fourteen unions, which collectively represent more than 1.3 million nurses, cleaners, physiotherapists, healthcare assistants, dieticians, radiographers, porters, midwives, paramedics and other NHS employees, wrote the letter urging the government to turn symbolic gestures such as the weekly ‘Clap For Carers’ which took place during the start of the nationwide lockdown, into something more substantial.
In separate letters the unions, including Unison, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), GMB, Unite and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, they highlighted how the pandemic made the dedication and commitment of NHS staff clear for everyone to see.
Health workers are reaching the end of a three-year pay deal, and unions are urging the government to provide the funding for a fair and early pay rise for all NHS staff. An early raise would also help with the recruitment of new staff needed to fill the many vacancies across every ward, department and clinic currently being advertised.
Unison head of health Sara Gorton said: “The applause and kind words shown during the difficult days of the pandemic were a huge source of comfort to NHS staff. But now the government should show its appreciation in a different way.
“Throughout lockdown, the public has seen the immense dedication, commitment and compassion shown by NHS staff, and now expects them to be rewarded.”
