UNISON South West campaigns against regional pay

UNISON South West is building the fight against the threat of regional pay in the NHS, which they claim will have a detrimental effect on the rights of health workers in regional parts of the UK. They have scheduled 18 events across the region this month, including four this week in Barnstaple, Plymouth and two in Exeter outside meetings of the North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and the Devon Partnership NHS Trust, to try to lobby members of the Pay Consortium Boards, which have banded together in a bid to make “radical” changes to staff pay, terms and conditions outside of the national Agenda for Change agreement. Plans include changes to working hours, annual leave entitlements and pay. The consortium also intends to look at “attractive, performance-driven approaches” to pay and conditions which it hopes will be more appealing.

Sue Orwin, Chair of Unison's Regional Health Executive told The Exeter Daily: "We are fighting against the threat of regional pay in the NHS. 20 South West Trusts are trying to pull away from the National Agreement, creating in essence Pay Cartels, which takes away our National bargaining power. They have made 28 different proposals that are against staff and we urge the local NHS Trust members to reconsider." UNISON head of health Christina McAnea said: "I urge trust boards to reconsider being part of the cartel, and risking damaging staff morale and the service itself," and she called on members and friends to support the events. More events will take place in the run up to the 'March for the Future that Works' in London, Glasgow and Belfast on 20 October.