HEALTH WORKERS DEMAND PAY RISE

UNISON members across the Northern Ireland health service will gather at the steps of Stormont on Thursday November 7th at 12.30pm. Shop stewards and activists from all Health Trusts and arms-length bodies will be reminding the Assembly Health Committee meeting in the afternoon that their 2024 pay rise is long overdue.

Six months down the line and still no pay uplift is on the horizon. This appalling delay means that a promise made that pay parity would be maintained is now broken. Health workers are extremely frustrated and angry at the lack of this pay settlement for health workers in NI. It is absolutely unacceptable that while workers in England, Scotland and Wales are now being paid the 5.5% recommended by the Pay Review Body, health workers here remain the poor relation and overlooked yet again. They will be asking MLAs are they are they prepared to accept this?

UNISON represents over 27,000 workers in all parts of the health service in NI. They have told us in no uncertain terms that they are utterly downhearted. They strongly believe that they are being disrespected and undervalued

UNISON members are writing to all MLAs asking:
“as MLAs elected to represent constituents across the whole of Northern Ireland, we urge you to ensure your party at the Executive table makes the decision to fund the Pay Review Body recommendation on pay for health workers.  Our pay rise fell, due from April 2024, and once again our members find themselves last in the UK NHS pay line.  Health staff have had two major disputes to protect pay parity. Our members cannot tolerate any more delay. They want you to ensure the Executive will fund their recommended pay rise.  We are meeting the Minister for Health in the coming days. The NI Executive now has information on the Treasury funding available and will be taking decisions. It is imperative that before then you make every effort in the coming days to raise your voice loudly and ensure that they do the right thing.  A derogatory pay offer or no pay offer will lead to a widespread challenge from health workers and pressure will be heaped upon the NI Executive. This means that transformation plans will be severely disrupted and inevitably industrial action will follow.”