Steve Barclay, secretary of state for health, says he now intends to implement the offer, meaning unions like the Royal College of Nursing will be compelled to embrace it despite opposition from their members.
A group of unions representing NHS employees, including nurses, voted to approve the government’s pay proposal.
Unison, GMB, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, and the Royal College of Midwives were among the organizations that supported the 5% pay increase and cash supplement.
Unite and the Royal College of Nursing, which represents the majority of nurses, voted against the agreement. The council’s electoral college approved the agreement by a vote of 27 to 17.
Secretary of health Steve Barclay plans to execute the deal for Agenda for Change pay schedule employees.
Unions may oppose 2023–2024 offers and workplace change, therefore industrial action may continue.
The Royal College of Nursing is re-voting on a strike mandate, which may last until Christmas.
In the meantime, Unite has announced that it will take “escalating” action. The union has a short period left to initiate strikes. But will also ballot its members to determine whether they wish to continue taking action.
Although the RCN, Unite, Royal College of Podiatry, and Society of Radiographers voted to reject the government’s offer, only the RCN and Unite voted against the implementation of the agreement.
Mr. Barclay stated, “I intend to implement this for all staff on the Agenda for Change contract, and while some unions may choose to remain in dispute, we hope their members — many of whom voted to accept this offer — will recognize this as a fair outcome supported by their colleagues and decide it is time to end the industrial action.”
“We will continue to engage constructively with unions on workforce changes to ensure that the NHS is the best place to work for staff, patients, and taxpayers.”
NHS employees will now want the pay increase they voted to approve,” said Unison health leader Sara Gorton. The expectation is that the one-time payment and pay rise will be included in June’s paychecks.
“However, health personnel should not have been required to intervene in the first instance. Unions informed ministers last July that $1,400 would not prevent NHS personnel from leaving or striking. However, the government refused to heed.”
Pat Cullen, the president of the RCN, informed Mr. Barclay in a letter that her union is still in a “formal dispute” with the government and the NHS over pay.
Following the vote, GMB sent Steve Barclay a letter praising the agreement as “first steps on the long journey to addressing the fundamental issues” confronting its members and the NHS.
The chief executive officer of NHS employers, Danny Mortimer, described today’s developments as “very positive.”
He stated that he is currently anticipating “confirmation of their plans” from the unions that rejected the deal.
