UNISON disappointed with NHS interim pay award

UNISON comment on the Scottish government’s interim pay award of 1% backdated to December 2020, announced today (24 February). Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has written to all staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions to set out the position on the 2021-22 pay settlement.

The letters states: “there will inevitably be a wait for 2021/22 pay negotiations to conclude in the summer. So in advance of the formal 2021-22 pay settlement, we will implement a 1% “payment on account” from 1 December 2020, which will then be topped up to the full settlement when the negotiations conclude.”

Willie Duffy, UNISON Scotland head of health said: “We are disappointed that the Scottish health secretary has made this announcement,  the staff side had previously written to her rejecting this offer. UNISON is concerned how this imposition may impact on any future pay negotiations with the Scottish government in 2021. We do not agree that NHS pay cannot be resolved until the summer of 2021. We are calling for pay negotiations to commence immediately.

NHS staff need a pay settlement that recognises the sacrifice so many have made over the pandemic and starts to restore some of the real terms pay cuts of the past decade and show how much the government values the role they play in Scotland.

NHS staff live in communities across Scotland. They spend their wages in local shops and businesses which will help to rebuild our economy after the pandemic. There will be some hard discussions in the next few weeks.”

UNISON Contacts
Willie Duffy, head of health: 07904 342129
Danny Phillips, communications officer: 07944