Nurses across Scotland are set to strike in the New Year after talks between Humza Yousaf and union bosses ended today without agreement.
A majority of members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Royal College of Midwives this week voted to reject the Scottish Government's latest pay offer of a flat rate of £2,205 per person.
Yousaf met with the RCN today in a fresh bid to avert industrial action - but the health secretary again admitted the government has "no more money" for pay deal during this financial year.
Speaking after the meeting, he said: "Met with NHS trade unions today, given majority of unions have accepted our record pay deal, we will implement it.
"I believe it's right we get additional money into pay packets of NHS staff in the midst of a cost of living crisis. Record deal is the biggest since devolution.
"However, I am absolutely committed to continued meaningful dialogue with trade unions. I am prepared to meet throughout the festive period if necessary to avert strike action from taking place.
"I need to be upfront and honest that I have no more money for pay in 2022/23, however I am keen to discuss how we make progress on significant non-pay issues that are important for the sustainability of the workforce, and also how we make early progress on next year’s pay deal."
Nurses part of the Unite and Unison unions accepted the offer earlier this month which will be see an average 7.5 per cent pay increase.
Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Director, said any further talks over the festive period between the union and Yousaf "must be meaningful".
He added: "There is no doubt that our members are long overdue a pay increase for this year, but this is not the Christmas present they deserve.
"RCN members working in the NHS resoundingly rejected this offer and now, for the second year in a row, the Scottish government is ignoring them and imposing what is a real-terms pay cut.
"I have written to the Cabinet Secretary to express the anger that I know many members will be feeling at this news. Mr Yousaf says that he is open to continuing discussions with the RCN to try to avert strike action, but any further talks must be meaningful.
"This pay offer is not what is needed to recognise our members’ safety critical role, stop nursing staff leaving the profession or attract the nurses of the future.
"We will continue our planning for strike action in the new year and early in January we will announce dates for historic strike action in Scotland. Our members do not want to go on strike but years of being ignored and understaffed have left them with no alternative."
Following the meeting Labour's Jackie Baillie said nurses had lost confidence in Yousaf.
She said: "I asked Humza Yousaf yesterday whether he would refrain from imposing a pay settlement on the NHS and he failed to answer. We now know why. It is clear that his plan was to impose this rejected pay deal all along.
"The SNP are happy to applaud our nurses and health care workers but turn a deaf ear to their concerns about pay and above all about patient safety. Nurses have lost confidence in Humza Yousaf, the best present he could give to them is to do the right thing and resign.”
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