UNISON has today (Wednesday) welcomed the Scottish government’s offer to open pay talks for health workers in Scotland after months of delays.
UNISON Scotland, together with other NHS unions, submitted its pay claim in February and says health workers are disappointed the Scottish government has taken so long to respond.
In the past few weeks, health workers belonging to UNISON have sent more than 15,000 letters to MSPs calling for the Scottish government to open pay talks.
UNISON Scotland lead organiser for health Matt McLaughlin said: “Despite submitting a pay claim at the beginning of the year, the Scottish government has dragged its heels and taken months to get around the table.
“NHS staff are rightly frustrated they’ve been left struggling with rising living costs while their calls for a fair pay rise are ignored.
“Health workers are the glue that holds the NHS together and the government has to recognise their hard work by putting NHS pay right.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON Scotland’s NHS pay claim can be read in full here
– UNISON is Scotland’s largest NHS union, it is also the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Matt McLaughlin E: M.McLaughlin@unison.co.uk M: 07904 341979
Trisha Hamilton E: T.Hamilton@unison.co.uk M: 07943 507 307
UNISON media team E: press@unison.co.uk