Scotland’s largest health union Unison accept latest NHS pay offer from Scottish Government

Scotland’s largest health union has voted to accept the Scottish Government’s NHS pay offer, in a consultative digital ballot.

Unison said that almost four in five (78.5%) voted to accept, in a ballot where 54% of eligible members voted.

The deal will see most health workers in the country receive at least a 6.5% wage increase, as well as a 1.5% one-off payment.

Unison Scotland’s health committee chair Wilma Brown said: “While acceptance of this pay offer removes the spectre of industrial action, there is no room for complacency.

“This deal does nothing to solve the NHS Scotland staffing crisis. Government commitments to review the working week, deliver fair wage rises on promotion and tackle the workforce crisis must make rapid progress. They must also be backed up with new money to ensure patients and staff get the NHS they deserve.”

The union will work with the Scottish Government to get pay into next month’s salary.

Unison Scotland head of health Matt Mclaughlin said: “This deal was agreed after intensive talks between the government, unions and employers. There’s now a need to get back around the table to sort out the staffing crisis in Scotland’s NHS.

“Patients are waiting too long for routine operations and staff are working under unacceptably stressful conditions. UNISON has agreed to go straight back into talks with the government to review nursing, reduce staff vacancies and look again at NHS pay structures.

“The NHS needs to be made fit for purpose so staff can provide a world-class service.”

Health secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I’m delighted that members of Unison, Scotland’s largest NHS trade union, have voted overwhelmingly to accept our record pay offer.

“This ensures Scotland’s NHS Agenda for Change staff are, by far and away, the best paid anywhere in the UK. We are also committed to delivering the most progressive package of terms and conditions reform in decades. We await the outcome of the remaining union ballots.”