Pay deal offered to NHS workers

The Scottish Government said the pay offer was a good deal

A three-year pay deal has been offered to NHS staff including nurses, midwives and other health professionals.

The deal will mean a 2.75% rise for staff this year, followed by 2.4% and 2.25% in subsequent years.

The Scottish Government said it would mean that for the first time the minimum starting salary for nurses would be more than �20,000.

But health unions said it was not a good deal for all staff and claimed that some would be worse off.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "This is the best deal for any group of public sector staff and recognises the hard work of our front-line staff whose tireless service ensures our NHS provides a first-class service to patients.

We're happy with this year but when you look at 2.4% and 2.25% that is not a good deal Gillian Smith Royal College of Midwives Scotland

"As well as providing fair and reasonable annual increases, the agreement provides improved pay for staff at the lower end of the NHS pay spectrum by both raising the minimum level of pay in year two and providing a flat rate increase in the third year.

"Although I am delighted to announce today a good deal for nurses and other NHS staff groups, I have made it clear that I have concerns about the process."

Ms Sturgeon said that was why she insisted that Scottish Government officials and Scottish employers were closely involved in the negotiations.

But Gillian Smith, the director of the Royal College of Midwives Scotland, said her members were not happy with the offer.

She said: "There is very little benefit for midwives, in real terms it's a pay cut. We're happy with this year but when you look at 2.4% and 2.25% that is not a good deal.

"We have rejected it because in the long-term this is a cut in pay for staff and we cannot agree to that."

'Fair pay'

Unison Scotland has agreed in principal to the three year agreement, with the proviso that they can reopen negotiations if inflation rises.

The union's spokeswoman on health, Glyn Hawker, said: "We are pleased with the level of offer in year one but it isn't exactly inflation busting.

"But it's an opportunity to lift the income of the lowest paid members."

Royal College of Nursing Scotland (RCNS) director Theresa Fyffe said: "In the current economic climate, we believe that this package, worth 7.99% over three years, goes some way towards bridging the gap between nurses' pay and other public sector workers.

"An important part of the package is ensuring nurses are protected against future price rises and the RCN has won a commitment to reopen pay talks should inflation rise sharply or if there are significant changes to the labour market."

The offer will now go to union members for consultation.

Ms Sturgeon also announced that Scotland was accepting in full the pay uplift recommendations of the Doctors and Dentists Pay Review Body for 2008/09.

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