UNISON members are stepping up their campaign against the South West NHS pay cartel following last week’s lobby of the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust with a day of action in Exeter tomorrow.
Healthcare workers will take part in an early morning demonstration at the main entrance of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital before campaigning on Exeter High Street and attending an evening rally at Exeter Central Library.
Jim Clawson, chair of UNISON Devon area health forum, said: “The South West NHS pay cartel is engaging in ‘gunboat diplomacy’. They claim to want full engagement with the trade unions and that they fully support national negotiations. Yet in reality they have set up a parallel system to undermine those very same national negotiations.
“These proposals involve recommendations for up to 28 potential cuts to healthcare staff’s pay and their terms and conditions, as opposed to just four proposals being consulted on nationally. Our members will not be duped by the cartel’s claims to be simply exploring various options. We believe they are effectively holding a gun to the heads of the national negotiators.”
Mark Harper, branch secretary at North Devon UNISON health branch, said: “These organisations should be investing their energies in lobbying the government to adequately fund the NHS instead of committing £10,000 each to attack terms and conditions of service.
“We do not want this to become a debate about job losses versus cuts as ultimately the patient will suffer most if either occurs. The priority for us is ensuring that appropriate funding is established for the patient care that our members work so hard to provide.”
Sue Orwin, chair of UNISON South West regional health executive and branch secretary of the UNISON Torbay health branch, said: “The two NHS Trusts in Torbay have chosen not to join the pay cartel because they believe in maintaining the national Agenda for Change bargaining mechanisms.
“Torbay Hospital NHS Trust consistently works in partnership with trade unions. They value their staff and have openly stated that they do not believe the objectives of the pay cartel are good for staff, patients or the organisations. We at UNISON have applauded their principled stance.”
For more information on the pay cartel campaign and related events taking place throughout the region go to the
UNISON South West campaign website.