Dear Member,
At Tuesday’s NHS Staff Council (the group of all NHS based unions) the pay offer was accepted by the majority of unions.
Unions therefore asked the Government to implement the offer as soon as possible.
The government have confirmed they will now make arrangements to pay the offer and we hope it to be received in June.
More details will follow when available.
Please see letter attached which we have sent to the Secretary of State.
Regarding EEAS, we had one of the highest turnouts of any NHS trust in the country. Members at EEAS voted to reject the offer with around a 55% rejection to 45% accept (still pretty close). However, nationally GMB’s NHS members voted to accept the offer. The NHS staff councils vote means that the offer has been officially accepted by all unions and all trusts, even those whose members rejected the offer nationally.
Whilst I full appreciate this isn’t the news 55% of you wanted to hear there are still a few positives to be taken. EEAS members have stepped massively, going from a failed industrial action ballot to having a monumental turnout for the pay ballot. Our NHS members nationally have shown what fighting their pay awards can do, regardless of your thoughts on the offer it is an improvement to what was on the table. Without members taking action nationally there wouldn’t have been a non-consolidated figure and the pay review body had only recommended 3.5% for this year. Most members at EEAS will now receive a 5% pay rise this year and a one-off payment of around £1500 after tax. The government will have to think twice before offering insulting pay awards moving forward and if they do try to lowball you again, you know GMB will be there to help you get a mandate to fight it again.
I want to thank everyone for all their hard work and support, but our work is never over, the return of Section 2, pension age, patient care and many other issues haven’t gone away and GMB will keep pushing to make your working lives and our NHS better, before you know it, we will be back balloting you regarding pay once again.
Kind regards
Ashley Foster
GMB Regional Organiser – Norwich Office
GMB London Region
Mobile: 07974 250946
Office: 01603 626492
Email: Ashley.Foster@gmb.org.uk
Web: www.gmb.org.uk
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Posted: 5th May 2023