Faced with a 12 hour strike the government approached the unions to make an offer in return for the strike being called off. This shows the power the two previous strikes had to force the government to talk when it previously had refused and imposed a pay freeze for most NHS staff for this year and next. Members will now be balloted as to whether they accept or reject the government's offer.
Intitial reactions from branch members has been to question the union leadership calling off the action. Many report the mood for the strike being good and believe the planned strikes could have forced the government to make greater concessions.
The branch is in the process of organising a branch meeting to allow members to discuss the offer and next steps in the pay campaign, including whether to launch a campaign for a cost of living supplement for all staff living in Oxfordshire.
The pay offer ony offers a very small rises for the lowest paid - at the expense of highest pay bands (detail at end with what the new payscale would look like if accepted). However there is nothing to address the substantial losses staff have suffered bearing the brunt of government imposed austerity. For the majority of staff there is still no pay rise this year, and for those who got the 1% consolidated, they will lose it at the end of the year, so in effect their pay will be the same next year if this deal is accepted - this will affect around 30% of NHS staff. For most staff the what is on offer the equivalent of a paltry 1% increase for the 2 years 2104-2016. The offer also serves the purpose of dividing the opposition to the government policy of keeping NHS wages depressed.
Also there are serious concerns about what is going to happen with the government proposals for cuts in unsocial hours and incremental pay next year. These are not explicitly referred to in the offer, but there is a requirement for the unions to sign up to "reform" of Agenda for Change, with a view to introducing changes in 2016. If the idea of reforms is to reorganise terms, including introducing more extended hours, without additional funds, as is the case with this offer, then we can expect a demand to cut unsocial hours.
The full text of the letter from Secretary of State for Health to the unions can be seen here.
The key points of the offer to NHS staff, except ambulance staff who have other issues addressed, are below.
- Abolition of the bottom point of Agenda for Change and increasing pay point 2 to £15,100. This means an increase of 5.6% for staff on point one and 3.1% for staff on pay point 2:
- 1% consolidated pay rise for all staff up to point 42 from April 2015:
- A further consolidated pay rise of an additional 200 pounds for staff on pay point 3-8. This means staff on these pay points will receive an increase between 2.1% and 2.3%:
- An increment freeze in 2015/16 for staff on pay point 34 and above for one year only:
- Urgent talks to take place with a review to the proposed redundancy changes being implemented from 1st April 2015, including a floor for calculation of redundancy payments of £23,000 and a ceiling for calculation of £80,000 with an end to employer top up for early retirement on grounds of redundancy.
Current and proposed payscale.
Band 1 | 2014 | Offer for 2015 | |
Point 1 | £14294 | Move to point 2 | |
Point 2 | £14653 | £15,100 | |
Point 3 | £15013 | £15,213 | |
Band 2 | |||
Point 1 | £14294 | £14,637 | |
Point 2 | £14653 | £15,000 | |
Point 3 | £15013 | £15,363 | |
Point 4 | £15432 | £15,786 | |
Point 5 | £15851 | £16,210 | |
Point 6 | £16271 | £16,634 | |
Point 7 | £16811 | £17,179 | |
Point 8 | £17425 | £17,799 | |
Band 3 | |||
Point 6 | £16271 | £16,434 | |
Point 7 | £16811 | £16,979 | |
Point 8 | £17425 | £17,599 | |
Point 9 | £17794 | £17,972 | |
Point 10 | £18285 | £18,468 | |
Point 11 | £18838 | £19,026 | |
Point 12 | £19268 | £19,461 | |
Band 4 | |||
Point 11 | £18838 | £19,026 | |
Point 12 | £19268 | £19,461 | |
Point 13 | £19947 | £20,146 | |
Point 14 | £20638 | £20,844 | |
Point 15 | £21265 | £21,478 | |
Point 16 | £21478 | £21,693 | |
Point 17 | £22016 | £22,236 | |
Band 5 | |||
Point 16 | £21478 | £21,693 | |
Point 17 | £22016 | £22,236 | |
Point 18 | £22903 | £23,132 | |
Point 19 | £23825 | £24,063 | |
Point 20 | £24799 | £25,047 | |
Point 21 | £25783 | £26,041 | |
Point 22 | £26822 | £27,090 | |
Point 23 | £27901 | £28,180 | |
Band 6 | |||
Point 21 | £25783 | £26,041 | |
Point 22 | £26822 | £27,090 | |
Point 23 | £27901 | £28,180 | |
Point 24 | £28755 | £29,043 | |
Point 25 | £29759 | £30,057 | |
Point 26 | £30764 | £31,072 | |
Point 27 | £31768 | £32,086 | |
Point 28 | £32898 | £33,227 | |
Point 29 | £34530 | £34,875 | |
Band 7 | |||
Point 26 | £30764 | £31,072 | |
Point 27 | £31768 | £32,086 | |
Point 28 | £32898 | £33,227 | |
Point 29 | £34530 | £34,875 | |
Point 30 | £35536 | £35,891 | |
Point 31 | £36666 | £37,033 | |
Point 32 | £37921 | £38,300 | |
Point 33 | £39239 | £39,631 | |
Point 34 | £40558 | £40,964 | |
Band 8a | |||
Point 33 | £39239 | £39,631 | |
Point 34 | £40558 | £40,964 | Increment freeze |
Point 35 | £42190 | £42,612 | Increment freeze |
Point 36 | £43822 | £44,260 | Increment freeze |
Point 37 | £45707 | £46,164 | Increment freeze |
Point 38 | £47088 | £47,559 | Increment freeze |
Band 8b | |||
Point 37 | £45707 | £46,164 | Increment freeze |
Point 38 | £47088 | £47,559 | Increment freeze |
Point 39 | £49473 | £49,968 | Increment freeze |
Point 40 | £52235 | £52,757 | Increment freeze |
Point 41 | £54998 | £55,548 | Increment freeze |
Point 42 | £56504 | £57,069 | Increment freeze |
Band 8c | |||
Point 41 | £54998 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 42 | £56504 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 43 | £59016 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 44 | £61779 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 45 | £65922 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 46 | £67805 | No change | Increment freeze |
Band 8d | |||
Point 45 | £65922 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 46 | £67805 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 47 | £70631 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 48 | £74084 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 49 | £77850 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 50 | £81618 | No change | Increment freeze |
Band 9 | |||
Point 49 | £77850 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 50 | £81618 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 51 | £85535 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 52 | £89640 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 53 | £93944 | No change | Increment freeze |
Point 54 | £98453 | No change | Increment freeze |