NHS Pay Offer 2015 - Information for Members taking part in the Ballot

UNISON members working in the NHS will be receiving ballot papers asking them to accept or reject the latest pay offer from the NHS employers.

The ballot closes at 10 am on Monday 2nd March.

If you have not received your ballot paper by 20 February please phone 0800 0 857 857 to request a duplicate

Last year (2014/15) the government refused to  negotiate wit the trade unions and imposed a two-year pay freeze on 60% of NHS staff, with only those at the top of their pay band receiving a non-consolidated lump sum payment of 1%.

Your industrial action has improved this offer for 2015/16.  But the offer falls short of what NHS staff deserve, although it does address some of the key concerns that unions have about low pay in the NHS. Those on the lowest pay bands in the NHS will receive an increase of between 2.1%-5.6%, but the very lowest pay band will still fall short of the Living Wage rate, currently £7.85 an hour outside London.

UNISON's Health Service Group Executive (HSGE) believes that this is the best offer that can be achieved through negotiation. The HSGE is clear that if members reject this proposed pay offer, UNISON will need to continue with our programme of industrial action starting with another strike on Friday 13 March. We will need your support and participation on the day if you choose to reject this deal and continue with strike action.

Proposed Pay Offer 2015/16:

A. 1% consolidated pay rise for all staff up to point 42 from April 2015
B. Abolition of the bottom point of AfC and increasing pay point 2 to £15,100.
C. A further additional £200 consolidated for staff on pay points 3-8.
D. An increment freeze in 2015/16 for staff on pay point 34 and above for one year only
E. Urgent talks to take place with a view to the proposed redundancy changes being
implemented from 1 April 2015

UNISON members need to talk to their stewards and look at the following information, which will help them decide whether or not to accept the offer.

NHS Pay Proposals Stewards Briefing

NHS Pay Proposals FAQ

UNISON members may also want to consider that this offer is, after all, only a 1% pay increase (although inflation is currently falling). It is a very small increase - particularly for those NHS staff who did not receive the unconsolidated 1% lump sum for 2014/15, and had their pay frozen, It also does not take the lowest level of NHS pay up to the Living Wage.

BUT IF YOU WANT THE PAY OFFER TO BE IMPROVED YOU WILL NEED TO BE PREPARED TO TAKE FURTHER INDUSTRIAL ACTION.

MAKE SURE YOU TAKE PART IN THE BALLOT TO GIVE YOUR VIEW ON THE PAY OFFER