UNISON, the largest trade union for health care workers in Northern Ireland is calling on Health Minister, Robin Swann, to secure the necessary resources for alternative treatments and care in the community given his intention to close Muckamore Abbey Hospital.
The UNISON reps from the three branches in the Southern Trust, Craigavon, Orchard and Newry & Mourne, have, after lengthy negotiations with the Trust, succeeded in moving over 200 of our members from agency employment to Trust contracts. The process has begun with support services across the Trust and once that is complete, will move on to admin staff.
UNISON Northern Ireland welcomes the policy statement from the Health Minister. It represents some progress following on the commitment to reduce the exorbitant costs of agency use. This was secured by UNISON and other unions as part of the settlement of the last health workers pay dispute.
Covid interrupted and delayed attempts to tackle the issue.
UNISON’s consultation of members on the NJC pay offer for 2022 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland closed last week. UNISON’s NJC Committee met on Monday 26 September to receive the results of the consultation.
UNISON members have voted to accept the pay offer, with 63.5% voting to accept and 36.5% voting to reject.
UNISON has just secured the introduction of the Real Living Wage of £9.90 per hour for it’s members employed in the Ulster University’s four campuses.
This week UNISON healthcare workers across the Belfast Trust held demonstrations on pay and the crisis within our health services.
Demonstrations were held at the Shankill Wellbeing Centre, Royal Victoria Hospital, Mater Hospital, Belfast City Hospital, Knockbracken Healthcare and Musgrave Park.
UNISON Northern Ireland Health Committee has recently met in response to the published Pay Review body recommendation for NHS pay.
In line with UNISON members across the UK the committee has decided the uplift falls short of the inflation busting demand from health unions. The failure of Westminster to put additional funding behind this recommendation was also roundly condemned.
While noting Minister Swann's acceptance UNISON members have not endorsed this recommendation.
"It shows local government employers are beginning to understand the financial nightmare school and council staff are living through. But it's not enough to make up for a decade and more of lost wages."
The unions’ joint 2022 claim, which applies from 1 April 2022, would have seen council and school employees receive either a £2,000 rise or the current rate of RPI (presently 11.8%), whichever is higher. The three unions say staff working in local government have seen an average of 27.5% wiped from the value of their pay since 2010.
The announcement from the Pay Review Body and endorsed at Westminster of a recommended consolidated sum of 1400 pounds on each pay band point falls below the joint Health Unions demand for an above inflation pay rise.
Many health workers across Northern Ireland will be deeply disappointed and frustrated that the pressure of the cost of living will continue to bear down on them.
Even more alarming is the fact that this recommendation comes with no additional funding and is to be met from within current budgets.
This is reported as a temporary measure for 6 months while we await the longer-term report of the NHS Staff Council Review of AFC Travel Terms and Conditions.
UNISON across the UK will continue to campaign for early implementation, along with more permanent solutions via the NHS Staff Council, to ensure inflationary rises apply to all elements of the mileage affected above and below the 3,500 mile cut off.
UNISON knows only too well that the recent amendment to the scheme does not provide enough relief on the immediate shortfall of cash in your pocket