Holly Johnston, Nurse, NHS Workers Say NO!
The recent pay offer from the Tory government to NHS staff on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts has caused much anger among trade union members.
They have learned what the threat of a 48-hour strike by the Royal College of Nursing resulted in, and that was pay talks after weeks of deliberation and delay. The strikes have also brought the highest offer made so far and we should take great confidence from this.
However the facts are laid bare. The 2022-23 non-consolidated lump sum of 6% (on top of an imposed flat rate of £1,400 for 2022-23) will soon be eaten up by tax, national insurance and the cost-of-living squeeze that is still very much ongoing.
The 5% for 2023-24 is an improvement from the original 3.5% stated but is still way below inflation, which even on the government’s CPI figure is currently running at 10.4%. The offer for both years does nothing for pay restoration after over 12 years of real-terms cuts and freezes to our pay.
The offer ties us into a two-year deal, at the same time as they are trying to force through their minimum service anti-strike legislation. The lump sum is a deliberate bribe to workers struggling in a cost-of-living crisis, hoping they will feel they cannot afford to keep striking, that they may have lost confidence in the process, and that they will feel they need that lump sum in their next pay packets.
All the major health unions representing AfC staff are recommending acceptance, apart from Unite.
NHS Workers Say NO! – a rank and file campaign group formed in 2020 – has been recommending members reject, and has distributed thousands of bulletins and materials through growing and existing networks on the ground.
We say we need to reject the pay offer, escalate strike action, and coordinate between the health unions, as well as with others on strike, and build towards a mass 24-hour general strike.
If, following the campaign from the union leaderships to vote ‘yes’, members decide to accept the pay offer, there will still be a lot of angry health workers. More cross-union groups have been created and more and more people are engaged to fight for the NHS.
Many health workers are understanding that we need to stay united as an NHS workforce, and will stand in solidarity with the junior doctors.
Health workers are learning from the strikes and there is massive spotlight on the trade union leaderships and questions over undemocratic processes. We need to put pressure on our leaders – and that includes standing in union elections and supporting fighting, socialist candidates.
Junior Doctors set more strike dates
Showing what is possible, junior doctors in the BMA and HCSA have announced another four days of strike action from 7am on 11 April to 7am on 15 April, in every hospital in the country.
The BMA negotiators report that the government made “no credible offer”.
Junior doctors are not included in the Agenda for Change offer but the same pattern that has been offered to other public sector workers is being floated: a lump sum for 2022-23 and a small percentage increase for 2023-24. Junior doctors, who currently get paid just £14 an hour, are demanding 35%.
