News

Following engagement between UNISON, other health unions and the Health Minister on the lack of funding to implement the Pay Review Body award of 5.5% on AfC pay bands for 2024/25, we secured commitments in December that pay parity would be maintained, with the pay award being applied in 2 stages.

Our health committee met recently to receive an update on a round of meetings with the Health minister and DOH officials. The starting point was the absence of funding to enable implementation of the Pay Review Body award of 5.5% on AFC pay bands. It was confirmed that the absence of specific ring fenced funding from the UK Treasury was making it very difficult to give guarantees that a full award covering the 12 months of 2024 to 2025 would be available.

Health Trade Unions in Northern Ireland met with Health Minister Mike Nesbitt on the 14th November regarding pay for 2024/25

The unions reiterated their position that the Pay Review Body (PRB) recommendation should be implemented in full. Furthermore, the Health Trade Unions insisted that any pay offer must ensure pay parity and be backdated to 1st of April 2024.

In response, the Minister presented a proposal.  Both sides acknowledged the need for further discussion, which is set to continue in the coming days.

UNISON NIs Health Committee is deeply disappointed at the fact that no pay offer has yet been made to Health staff.  This leaves us once again almost a year behind other parts of the UK and NHS and in a situation where pay parity is not being maintained as was promised.