Healthcare workers have accepted a new pay offer.
Members of the Unison and GMB Scotland unions have voted to take the latest deal on offer from the Scottish Government, which Health Secretary Humza Yousaf made after workers voted for strike action.
It means staff covered by the Agenda for Change scheme will receive an average pay increase of 6.5 per cent – as well as a one-off 1.5 per cent payment – which will begin at the start of next month.
That’s on top of a pay rise already imposed for 2022/23.
GMB Scotland senior organiser for public services, Keir Greenaway, said: “Three-fifths of our members have voted to accept this offer, removing the threat of strike action across NHS Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service this year on pay and conditions.
“Make no mistake, the strike mandates secured by our members is what pushed the Cabinet Secretary to continuously improve his proposals over the last nine months. As a result, frontline staff, and not least the lowest paid, have won significant increases to their consolidated pay and conditions.
“However, we would also warn that no one in government circles should be naïve enough to think this puts the issue of worker value back in the box.
“The sizeable minority of members who voted to reject the offer illustrate the point and this sends a loud and clear message on future pay offers.
Unison Scotland’s health committee chair, Wilma Brown, said: “While acceptance of this pay offer removes the spectre of industrial action, there is no room for complacency.
“This deal does nothing to solve the NHS Scotland staffing crisis.
“Government commitments to review the working week, deliver fair wage rises on promotion and tackle the workforce crisis must make rapid progress. They must also be backed up with new money to ensure patients and staff get the NHS they deserve.”
The Royal College of Nursing revealed on Monday its members had also accepted the offer.
Mr Yousaf said: “This will mean experienced porters receive a pay rise of more than 19 per cent and experienced paramedics will earn £5,360 more a year.
“This will ensure that Scotland’s NHS Agenda for Change staff are, by far and away, the best paid anywhere in the UK.
“We await the outcome of the remaining union ballots.”
