Healthcare recruiter supports NHS nurses voting on industrial action
27 August 2014
A leading healthcare recruiter has thrown its support behind NHS nurses who are deciding whether to vote on taking industrial action over a pay dispute.
Wed, 27 Aug 2014
A leading healthcare recruiter has thrown its support behind NHS nurses who are deciding whether to vote on taking industrial action over a pay dispute.
HCL Workforce Solutions chief executive Stephen Burke said nurses were the “lifeblood” of the NHS and the agency fully supported them at this time.
“We are aware that traditionally nurses haven’t voted for industrial strike action as caring for the most vulnerable is always paramount. We fully support our nurses as they vote on a very difficult decision.”
Members of the Unite union started voting yesterday on possible industrial action, while Unison will do so from today. The GMB and the Royal College of Midwives will begin voting in the coming days.
Unite head of health Rachael Maskell said in a statement: “We are confident of a positive result from our members. But we also wish to reassure the public that any industrial action will be carefully calibrated to balance the anger that our members feel about their shrinking pay packets, with abiding concern for patient care which is key for the health professionals we represent.”
Burke said the agency would “stringently avoid” placing workers into posts left vacant, should there be strike action, as required by legislation.
It would, however, continue to supply locums to cover long-term vacant posts, absences due to maternity/paternity leave and training secondment shifts as normal.
Maskell said the pay situation was at different stages in the four countries of the UK.
In England, there was a 1% offer, which meant that 600,000 NHS employees received no cost of living pay rise on 1 April 2014.
The Welsh government offered a living wage for all staff and a one-off payment of £160, but there was a wider dispute on terms and conditions.
There has been no decision made on pay in Northern Ireland.
In Scotland, the Scottish government agreed to pay the 1% rise to all staff as recommended by the independent Pay Review Body and to implement the living wage by paying an extra £300 to low-paid workers. Unite has accepted this and will, therefore, not be balloting its members in Scotland.
Possible strike action would take place in the autumn.
The NHS Employers organisation has urged the unions to notify employers as early as possible of any impending action so that they can plan appropriately.
A leading healthcare recruiter has thrown its support behind NHS nurses who are deciding whether to vote on taking industrial action over a pay dispute.
HCL Workforce Solutions chief executive Stephen Burke said nurses were the “lifeblood” of the NHS and the agency fully supported them at this time.
“We are aware that traditionally nurses haven’t voted for industrial strike action as caring for the most vulnerable is always paramount. We fully support our nurses as they vote on a very difficult decision.”
Members of the Unite union started voting yesterday on possible industrial action, while Unison will do so from today. The GMB and the Royal College of Midwives will begin voting in the coming days.
Unite head of health Rachael Maskell said in a statement: “We are confident of a positive result from our members. But we also wish to reassure the public that any industrial action will be carefully calibrated to balance the anger that our members feel about their shrinking pay packets, with abiding concern for patient care which is key for the health professionals we represent.”
Burke said the agency would “stringently avoid” placing workers into posts left vacant, should there be strike action, as required by legislation.
It would, however, continue to supply locums to cover long-term vacant posts, absences due to maternity/paternity leave and training secondment shifts as normal.
Maskell said the pay situation was at different stages in the four countries of the UK.
In England, there was a 1% offer, which meant that 600,000 NHS employees received no cost of living pay rise on 1 April 2014.
The Welsh government offered a living wage for all staff and a one-off payment of £160, but there was a wider dispute on terms and conditions.
There has been no decision made on pay in Northern Ireland.
In Scotland, the Scottish government agreed to pay the 1% rise to all staff as recommended by the independent Pay Review Body and to implement the living wage by paying an extra £300 to low-paid workers. Unite has accepted this and will, therefore, not be balloting its members in Scotland.
Possible strike action would take place in the autumn.
The NHS Employers organisation has urged the unions to notify employers as early as possible of any impending action so that they can plan appropriately.
