Government must turn clapping for carers into cash recognition

Ministers must reverse a decade of real terms pay cuts for NHS staff their own government imposed says GMB Union

Ministers must reverse a decade of real terms pay cuts for NHS staff their own government imposed says GMB Union

GMB, the union for NHS staff, has called on the government to turn their clapping for carers into cash recognition.

Alongside other health unions, GMB wants Ministers to award health key workers an early pay rise.

Nurses, healthcare assistants, paramedics, porters, cleaners and all healthcare staff have been at the front of the fight against Coronavirus from the very start - putting themselves in danger due to huge failures by the government to address PPE and testing.

NHS staff are now in year three of the three year pay deal, which GMB members voted against, due to huge complexities in the deal as well as it being a real terms pay cut for many.

GMB and other health unions now want the government to provide the funding needed to commit to an early pay rise for all those providing services to the NHS - whether employed directly by the NHS or private contractors.

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer, said:

“The public recognised our members’ worth from the start, coming out to clap for our carers every Thursday. Now it’s time for government to do the same.

“This is not a covid-19 bonus, but their efforts during this pandemic do need to be recognised.

“The least Ministers can do is reverse the decade of real terms pay cuts their government imposed.

“As lockdown measures ease and people try to return to ‘normal’, nothing changes for our healthcare workers. Covid-19 is still here, PPE is still an issue, testing is still an issue.