Thousands of NHS workers in Perthshire could be among the latest in the public sector to strike after the Scottish Government’s pay offer was rejected.
Unite, UNISON and GMB Scotland’s NHS membership last week rejected the Scottish Government’s five per cent pay offer to staff across the country and voted to take strike action in a consultative ballot.
This could have a serious impact on services in Tayside.
UNISON spokesperson in Tayside, Raymond Marshall, said: “We had a huge turn out in our ballot in Tayside and Perth, and the anger has been overwhelming. UNISON members have instructed us to prepare for strike action.
“This is the first time since devolution we have had to do anything like this in the NHS. So we will be getting our UNISON Tayside branch strike ready.
“NHS staff are exhausted. We have the longest waiting lists in generations. Staff worked tirelessly through a pandemic. We are past the stage for platitudes and support from our political leaders.
“I am hoping our local MSPs can put pressure on Nicola Sturgeon to intervene to ensure that NHS staff get the pay rise they deserve.”
Last Friday Unite announced it saw 89 per cent of members - in every pay band across the entire NHS - vote to reject the current pay offer.
While 77 per cent also indicated that they would be prepared to take industrial action up to and including strike for a better wage deal from the Scottish Government.
Unite has repeatedly stated that the current five per cent pay offer was unacceptable to its NHS membership as it represents a significant real-terms pay cut when the broader cost of living has hit a forty-year high of 11.8 per cent.
James O’Connell, Unite regional officer said: “The mandate to move to an industrial action ballot from our NHS Scotland members is emphatic.
“These hard working and courageous workers really deserve far more from the Scottish Government. Instead, they are being forced into a position whereby the only way they are going to get a decent pay rise is through strike action.
“This situation is exclusively down to the Scottish Government because they are also hoarding a £650m underspend. Yet for some reason they deem our brave NHS workers unworthy of anything from this treasure chest.”
Meanwhile, GMB members rejected the pay offer by an overwhelming 97 per cent.
GMB is now urging the Scottish Government to improve the pay offer, particularly for the lowest paid, as joint trade unions in NHS Scotland meet to discuss the outcomes of their consultations and to prepare plans for statutory industrial action ballots.
GMB Scotland Organiser, Karen Leonard, said: “GMB members have sent a clear message that government must do more to help them confront the cost-of-living crisis and avoid the prospect of more NHS staff slipping into working poverty this winter.
“More of our members are affected by debt, fuel poverty and hunger, while soaring inflation and energy bills means the real-terms value of this pay cut will get bigger with each passing month – there’s no doubt this crisis is turning into a catastrophe for many frontline staff and their families.
“If these hard truths are not recognised and confronted then industrial action affecting NHS services looks inevitable in the months ahead.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “While we respect the mandate given to trade unions, I am disappointed they have voted to reject the record five per cent pay deal for NHS Scotland Agenda for Change (AfC) staff, and are now holding ballots for industrial action.
“We will consider the next steps and look to re-engage with trade unions as soon as we can, and hope to reach a satisfactory outcome.”
