Proposals include nearly 6 per cent increase in wages for lowest earners
Today’s 12-hour walk out of NHS workers has been suspended while unions debate a new pay offer, which could mean an increase in wages for more than 250,000 of the lowest paid staff.
Under new proposals from the Department of Health, minimum pay levels for staff employed under Agenda for Change terms and conditions in England would rise from £14,294 to £15,100, an increase of 5.6 per cent.
The lowest earners would also take home an extra £200 a year in their wage packet, which could mean an increase of between 2.1 per cent and 2.3 per cent for thousands of staff.
In a letter to Christina McAnea, head of health at Unison, health secretary Jeremy Hunt proposed that staff earning less than £56,504 would get a consolidated 1 per cent pay rise from April 2015.
Commenting on the suspended action, Hunt said: "This is good news for patients, and I welcome the unions calling off strike action. We have consistently said that we wouldn’t agree a pay deal that risked frontline jobs and therefore patient safety. This offer achieves that – the NHS pay bill will not increase next year, while rewarding hardworking staff."
The health secretary has met with unions a number of times over the last week to discuss the government’s decision to reject the Pay Review Body’s recommendation of a 1 per cent pay rise for all NHS staff.
In his letter to the union, he said the pay boost for the majority of staff would be funded by a one-year increment freeze for staff earning more than £56,000.
Hunt also proposed “urgent talks” on proposed redundancy changes, due to be implemented from April this year, including a new payment floor of £23,000 and a ceiling of £80,000, with an end to employer top-ups
He confirmed the government’s commitment to the NHS Pay Review Body, and said the system had worked well and would continue to make future recommendations on pay for NHS staff.
In response McAnea said: "Whilst this isn't a great offer, it addresses some of the key concerns unions have about low pay in the NHS. In the interest of patients' safety unions will now consult members.
"It will be up to them to decide whether to accept or reject the proposals. If they choose to reject them we will move to further industrial action."
Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, was delighted the strike had been called off, but said that many patients had already suffered because of the ongoing dispute.
“If the unions proceed to fully accept the proposed pay agreement it will demonstrate a commitment and signal the start of a period of negotiations to deliver long term pay reform in the NHS,” he said.
Unions will meet on Wednesday the 4th of February to discuss the terms.