This was an opportunity for Govt to turn clapping into genuine recognition
With health workers’ morale rock bottom this was an opportunity for Government to turn their clapping in to genuine recognition, says GMB Union
GMB, the union for NHS and ambulance workers, says the Government has ‘failed spectacularly’ with their much delayed ‘offer’ on NHS pay on a day of chaos and confusion.
The union earlier today wrote to the Prime Minister calling for him to intervene after a Minister’s statement on the NHS failed to make an anticipated announcement on pay for 2021/22 after a four-month delay.
The pay offer has been sneaked out to avoid Parliamentary scrutiny as MPs are packing up for summer and fails to match the 15% pay increase - or £2 per hour - GMB has been calling for to make up for a decade of real terms pay cuts for NHS key workers deserve.
The 3 per cent offer is lower than inflation, which was 3.9 per cent in June (according to the RPI index).
GMB is also calling into question the independence and validity of a pay review body that has failed to seriously consider the union’s evidence as to why a significant increase is essential this year to reward and recognise staff and to also address the huge staffing crisis in the NHS and the potential retention crisis.
GMB will be consulting members on this in the coming weeks and will be recommending they say no to the ‘paltry’ response from Government.
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer said:
“NHS staff are on their knees – exhausted, fatigued and anxious – as we look set to enter another wave of the covid pandemic. Staff morale is rock bottom.
“Hospitals and ambulance services are operating under extreme pressures due to rising demand and staffing shortages. ‘Now, rather than focussing on staff welfare they are being advised to enter the workplace against self-isolation advice and now given this frankly appalling pay offer which is yet another real terms cut.
“This was the opportunity for Government to turn their clapping in to genuine recognition. Their response is paltry. “They have failed spectacularly.
“NHS workers know their worth and so do the public - shame on the government who don’t."
