A LEADING trade union has called for the UK Government to match the pay offer given to NHS health workers in Scotland.
Unite, one of the UK's major health sector trade unions, has called on Westminster to, at the “very least", match the 4.25% pay increase for NHS health workers for 2025/26 by the Scottish Government.
Its national officer for health said that unless other governments act, workers in Wales, England and Northern Ireland will be in a dispute while its Scottish members are able to "get on with their vital work".
Unite's Scottish health committee has decided to conduct a ballot of members in the Scottish NHS on the pay offer, which will see health workers receive a pay increase of 3.75% for 2026/27 with a guarantee that the increase will be at least 1% above CPI.
The union's Scottish health committee added that it would be recommending that members accept the pay offer and have called for a similar deal to be made with the union's representatives and the Labour Government.
Unite national officer for health Richard Munn said that the deal between the union and the Scottish Government has been positive, but has warned it must be upheld.
He said: “The initial feedback from Unite members across Scotland is positive in respect of the offer but there is also a lack of trust in the Scottish Government following the recent reneging on the reduction in working week agreement.
“Unite reps are clear – the Scottish Government needs to honour the offer if it is agreed, or we will move straight to an industrial action ballot. "
Munn added that Unite members will want to see “real” progress being made in closing the pay gap with its Scottish health workers.
He said: “Unite members across the UK will expect that the example set by the Scottish Government is at the very least matched.
“They will also want to see real progress in respect of closing the pay gap with Scotland and restoring NHS pay to the real-terms value as seen in 2010.
“It also demonstrates why our members have lost all faith in the PRB (Pay Review Body) process.
“The timing of the pay increase in Scotland is ahead of the rest of the UK by at least a couple of months and because the unions have been involved in the discussions, we are in a position to ballot with recommendations.
“Unless UK, Welsh and Northern Irish governments change their approach then we are seriously concerned that while Scottish members get on with their vital work, union members in other nations will end up in a dispute which the governments can easily avoid by ditching the PRB.”
