Scottish staff promised 3% pay rise, but top managers could miss out
But some senior MiP members could miss out after the Scottish Government suggested the full 3% pay rise would be restricted to staff earning less than £80,000 a year.
MiP chief executive Jon Restell said the union would press the Scottish Government to clarify the pay position for senior managers as soon as possible. “It would be very disappointing if the Scottish Government chooses to follow the Westminster government by unfairly singling out some senior staff for lower pay rises,” he said.
The 3% deal is an interim offer for 2018, while further talks are held with unions on implementing a Scottish version of the complicated restructuring of the Agenda for Change pay system agreed for staff in England.
Delays “not acceptable”
Tom Waterson, chair of UNISON’s Scotland committee, said: “UNISON Scotland accepts the offer of 3% and demands that it‘s implemented without further delay. This agreement is an important first step to securing a Scottish deal for Scottish NHS workers, and we’re determined that it will deliver for our staff and roll back the pain of austerity.”
He warned UNISON would not accept suggestions from some Holyrood sources that the 3% rise could be held back until the pay deal in England has been formally implemented, which is not expected to be before July. “That is not acceptable… the government has promised 3% and UNISON won’t allow anyone to delay the implementation of that rise,” he said.
Under the ‘Barnett formula’ – the Treasury rules which link the budgets of devolved governments to spending levels in England – Scotland is set to receive an additional £370m as a result of the pay deal in England, while the Welsh Government will see its budget rise by £210m. Devolved governments are free to spend the money as they wish, but ministers in both Edinburgh and Cardiff have promised the full sum will be spent on NHS pay.
Welsh pay talks due shortly
Meanwhile in Wales, talks between unions and the Welsh Government are continuing in a bid to resolve an existing dispute over the reinstatement of terms for unsocial hours, mileage and preceptorship payments, and no pay offer for 2018 had been made at the time of going to press.
“NHS Wales workers are keen to know how the headline-grabbing NHS England deal will affect the Welsh workforce,” said Donna Hutton, head of health for UNISON Cymru-Wales. “Talks around what the England pay deal means for Wales will take place shortly… To be clear, we will not enter into pay talks without an agreement over the reinstatement of your terms and conditions.”
She promised UNISON members in Wales would have “the final say” on the outcome of the talks.
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