UNISON has given evidence to the NHS pay review body, along with other NHS trade unions, stressing that NHS staff need a fair and decent pay rise.
In a strong argument, the union made the following points:
- the government has told the review body that it must make recommendations within a 1% paybill limit, but this is grossly inadequate when NHS salaries have lost 12-18% in value since 2010. It will worsen staff shortages and damage patient care;
- to avoid adding insult to injury, the review body should reject the government’s request for divisive, targeted increases;
- now is the time for the NHS to become a living wage employer, setting a path toward UNISON’s target of a £10 an hour minimum to end poverty pay;
- apprenticeships in the NHS must be high quality, with a negotiated framework for fair pay rates to protect apprentices from exploitation.
The pay review body will now consider all the evidence it has received and make its recommendations in February 2016.
Find out more with our campaign, Time to talk about NHS pay.