Scotland largest health union to recommend NHS Scotland staff reject Scottish government 5% pay offer

24th June 2022

UNISON Scotland's Health Committee - UNISON's senior decision making body in health and which represents UNISON health workers across Scotland - will ballot UNISON health members on whether they wish to accept or reject the latest pay offer from the Scottish Government.

After speaking to health workers across UNISON Scotland branches and in hospitals and community health settings, the committee will now ballot UNISON members, in a consultative ballot, with a recommendation to reject the pay offer - following discussion this afternoon.

The Scottish government has offered NHS workers a 5% pay uplift to all agenda for change staff, for the period for 2022 /2023. This results in an annual increase for a senior manager at the top pay grades getting a £5,500 per increase, an entry nurse or occupational therapist or physio, getting £1,300 pay increase and someone at the bottom of the pay scale getting around £1000 increase.

A consultative ballot is the first stage towards taking industrial action up to and including strike action.

Wilma Brown, Chair of UNISON Scotland’s health committee, said: "NHS staff are angry. They see bills going through the roof and feel the Scottish Government should be doing more to support them with the highest inflation in living memory.

Having listened to the anger there is amongst the NHS staff, UNISON will recommend that our members reject this offer. We will run a consultative strike ballot in the coming weeks, and demand that the government look at the amount offered and the way the financial envelope is distributed.

UNISON stewards have spent the last few weeks walking the wards and departments within hospitals and health care areas, speaking to their members and colleagues and are under no doubt about the feelings of NHS staff. Unless the Scottish government come to the table with an improved offer UNISON will press ahead with this ballot."