Health workers including nurses, paramedics, cleaners, domestics and porters are taking part in 2 days of campaigning urging the Government to give an early, significant pay rise of at least £2,000 to every worker in the NHS.
Staff in UNISON branches based in NHS hospitals, ambulance stations and clinics will be using social media and taking part in socially distanced events to press home the message that health workers deserve much more than applause for their efforts during the pandemic.
Health workers know the public backs an early NHS pay rise, but now want to see the Government show its appreciation for staff by bringing forward the pay rise due in April.
UNISON’s pay claim – delivered to Downing Street last month – would see every NHS employee receive an increase of at least £2,000 by the end of the year. This early wage increase – equivalent to around £1 an hour extra for all staff – could give ailing local economies a much-needed boost as workers spend the extra money in their pockets on the high street, says UNISON.
With the arrival of Autumn, and the increasing rates of infection, UNISON believes now is the perfect time for the government to show the high regard in which ministers say they hold NHS staff.
UNISON South East regional secretary Steve Torrance said:
“Infection rates are rising in care homes and out in the wider community, and hospital admissions are on the up.
“The pressure on staff is beginning to build again, as the NHS tries to open services shut earlier in the year and deal with the backlog of cancelled appointments and operations.
Article continues below this advertisement “That’s why now would be the perfect time for the Prime Minister and Chancellor to show they can do more than clap for NHS staff, and demonstrate their appreciation in a much more practical way.
“Boris Johnson’s pie in the sky plans for any time, any place, anywhere ‘moonshot’ testing would cost a mindboggling £100bn. An early pay rise for NHS staff would be a tiny fraction of that and would make a huge difference to individuals and the services they help provide.
“Investing in the NHS and its incredible staff is a must for the government. It would help the health service tackle the mounting staff shortages that were already causing huge problems even before the virus hit.
“An early pay rise would also be the country’s best way of saying a heartfelt thank you to every single member of the NHS team.”
All for it but it aint gonna happen. The government, in fact, are putting serous pressure on the NHS to now heavily cut costs as a way to recoup some of the money spent on the Covid issues, so they are hardly likely to massively increase their wageroll.
Anyway the government feel that the staff have already been well recognised with “clapping” – so that’s OK then.
These people have been paid for the job they do. Like the Army, can’t expect more for doing your job. Leave if it is too stressful, cash won’t mitigate the danger, especially if it then drains more funds from the NHS for safety PPE etc.
Get paid to much already what about the rest of the workers who keep the economy going who will end up paying for this mess
domestics and auxilary nurses only get between 8-9 pound an hour. they should get a rise for sure .A THEY REALLY DO WORK HARD.
We all work hard .but we are not getting a pay rise .
Hey Bob, let’s just have volunteers then. Then we can close the hospital through having no staff. Save a fortune!
may as well were all be doing mainland hospital soon
So because of Covid they want a pay rise what about all the poor people who have lost their jobs or still on furlough? It’s not even like you can get an appointment or even speak to someone at the moment so what we getting for the extra money it will cost tax payers?
how about politicians have their pay stopped everytime they demand that the country is locked down and private sector staff are impoverished further and business owners face ruin, because of their pathetic actions – sweden didn’t to this self inflicted economic destruction.
a tax cut for the rest of society would be the best way of saying a heartfelt thanks to all of us for actually doing this lockdown instead of rioting – which isn’t too far away, if the individuals in government keep dictating what we do.
Pay rise .for what? .can’t even get a doctors appointment because they are cowering away hiding refusing to see patients .
Most NHS staff are no more at risk than a bus driver, a taxi driver, school teacher, shop worker etc. And those that ARE are equipped with the best PPE.
Many have had less work not more, hence the huge backlogs building.
KEEP to facts not just sentiment.
Fully agree boater, we all dented our saucepans a little prematurely I think.
Many appointments are cancelled so WHAT are they or were those NHS staff ‘doing’?
Milking it now. Would be akin to the military wanting more pay ‘because’ there was a war on. At least NHS staff can leave, the soldiers can’t in a war situation.
Remember it will be US, not Bo paying for this for years, IF the staff were so caring then they would rather see the money spent on better safety protection for themselves and the patients. Jumping on the once in a lifetime sympathy bandwagon imo.
I suggest they go work for the greedy slimy council if they want that pay rise.they obv do a far better job for there money…. right!
Hold on… during this PLANDEMIC there was thousands given to the NHS! By various celebrities and average people. I wonder where that really went then? Back pockets no doubt. Everyone in health care works hard and deserve a pay rise.. so why should it just be nurses they have HCA’s to run around for them! Stupid
Some of these comments need taking down, they are offensive to the NHS staff. People need to think before commenting on issues.