UNISON Scotland will be submitting a pay claim to the Staff Side of the NHS Scotland Terms and Conditions Committee on Tuesday (5 May) next week asking the Scottish Government to recognise the extra costs – both financial and emotional – that NHS staff have suffered through this pandemic.
The pay claim is for 1% or £500, whatever is highest, for all staff. The claim is on top of any annual pay increase for NHS staff. This payment is to go some way to support NHS staff with the extra costs they have incurred as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Willie Duffy, UNISON Scotland’s head of health, said: “This is a very difficult time for so many across Scotland, not least our dedicated NHS staff who quite rightly have received the highest praise from the public.
“However, the reality is that our NHS staff have incurred extra costs with laundry, travel, subsistence and other costs over this period. And health service workers received the lowest public sector pay award over last few years. It is important that we recognise this and we are calling on the Scottish Government to support them financially to help them get through this very difficult time.”
Tom Waterson, chair of the health committee said: “While pay is down the list of priorities of NHS staff at the moment, the reality is that they are incurring extra costs – sometimes having to buy extra PPE; extra cleaning of their clothes and materials; buying hand sanitiser; isolating from family; doing extra hours; and additional travel costs during restricted public transport – never mind the emotional toll it is having.
“Our NHS staff are going above and beyond to look after us in this time of national crisis, it is only right the Scottish Government look at how they can financially support NHS staff through this difficult period.”
UNISON Contacts:
Willie Duffy: 07904 342129
Tom Waterson: 07753 627575
Danny Phillips: 07944 664110, d.phillips@unison.co.uk