Nurses set to strike as Scot Govt imposes rejected pay deal

Members of RCN Scotland - which represents more than 40,000 nurses in Scotland - voted by 82% to reject the Scottish Government’s 7.5% offer.

READ MORE: Nurses 'won't be guilted' out of Christmas strike action

Walkouts by midwives and ambulance workers are also likely in the new year after members of the Royal College of Midwives and the GMB trade unions also turned down the deal.

Mr Yousaf met with representatives from trade unions on Friday to discuss the ongoing dispute over pay.

The uplift, described by Mr Yousaf as the “best and final” offer, has been accepted by members of other health trade unions - including Unite and Unison - and by physiotherapists.

Mr Yousaf said he will now push on with the Action for Change deal which will see wages rise by an average of 7.5%, depending on salary.

Those on the lowest pay packages will get an increase of 11.3%, but there has been pushback over the “divisive” nature of the offer which means those in more senior roles - with more responsibility and higher salaries - will get uplifts of around 5-6%, far short of inflation.

The offer does not include doctors, who were awarded 4.5% in a separate pay settlement.

Following the meeting with union leaders, Mr Yousaf said he has been clear that there is no additional money that can be added to the 2022/23 NHS pay deal - but promised to make early progress on 2023/24 pay deal negotiations.

He said: “Given that the majority of unions representing the majority of unionised Action for Change staff have accepted the pay deal, we will now move to implement this record pay deal.

“We believe it is right to get additional money into the pay packet of NHS staff in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.

“NHS staff need the certainty of a pay uplift in this financial year, and I can only do this by implementing the deal now.”

He added: “I am absolutely committed to meaningful dialogue with trade unions in order to avert strike action and am prepared to meet throughout the festive period to continue that dialogue.

“I need to be upfront and honest that I have no more money for pay in 2022/23, however, I am keen to discuss how we make progress on significant non-pay issues that are important for the sustainability of the workforce, and also how we make early progress on next year’s pay deal.”

READ MORE: Midwives calling in sick 'because they can't afford to travel to work'

The RCN has been pushing for uplifts of 5% above inflation.

Two days of nurses strikes have already taken place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 15 and 20 December, resulting in more than 40,000 patient appointments and procedures being rescheduled.

Nurses in England are due to strike again on January 18 and 19 unless pay talks with the UK Government resume.

RCN Scotland members had already voted in favour of strike action following a previous 5% pay offer, but this was paused pending the results of a consultative ballot in response to the Scottish Government's tabling of the improved 7.5% offer.

Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland director, said: “Our members will be furious that for the second year in a row the Scottish government has chosen to ignore their voice.

"There is no doubt that our members are long overdue a pay increase for this year, but this is not the Christmas present they deserve. For the second year in a row, the Scottish government is ignoring them and imposing what is a real-terms pay cut.

“Mr Yousaf says that he is open to continuing discussions with the RCN to try to avert strike action, but any further talks must be meaningful.

"The pay offer is not what is needed to recognise our members’ safety critical role, stop nursing staff leaving the profession or attract the nurses of the future.

“We will continue our planning for strike action in the new year and early in January we will announce dates for historic strike action in Scotland.

"Our members do not want to go on strike but years of being ignored and understaffed have left them with no alternative.”

READ MORE: Why doctors are angry about their 4.5 per cent 'pay rise' 

Research by Nuffield Trust estimates that, in real-terms, earnings for NHS nurses and health visitors in 2022/23 will be around 10% lower than they were in 2010/11 as a result of successive sub-inflation pay awards and the current huge levels of inflation.

Real-terms earnings in the NHS are substantially below levels of 2010/11 (Image: Nuffield Trust)

Scottish Labour’s Health spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie, said: “I asked Humza Yousaf [on Thursday] whether he would refrain from imposing a pay settlement on the NHS and he failed to answer.

"We now know why. It is clear that his plan was to impose this rejected pay deal all along.

“The SNP are happy to applaud our nurses and health care workers but turn a deaf ear to their concerns about pay and above all about patient safety.”

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the situation "points to a complete breakdown in trust" between the nursing unions and the Cabinet Secretary. 

Mr Gulhane added: “It was bad enough that these talks were delayed 24 hours because the health secretary considered voting on the SNP’s rushed GRR Bill to be more important than averting strikes in our NHS.

“But the fact that the talks ended so abruptly this morning suggests Humza Yousaf went into the room in bad faith and with no credible alternatives to offer the unions.”

Midwives, who had also paused strike plans to hold a consultative ballot, voted by 65% to reject the 7.5% pay offer.

RCM Scotland leaders are now holding talks on the next steps, including industrial action, but urged Mr Yousaf to resume pay talks.

RCM Scotland director, Jaki Lambert, said: “Our members have been consistent throughout this process – they want a decent deal, and they are prepared to take industrial action to get one.”

Ms Lambert said they felt "left with no other option" amid concerns over safety, staff shortages, and members sometimes working 12-hour shifts with no breaks. 

Members of GMB Scotland, which includes 1700 members in the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), have also voted by 66% to reject the pay offer.