Well with new pay offers in both of our largest service groups (health and local government) I thought I would blog on pay, though as an industrial issue this is really for the service group execs rather than the NEC.
Within my own service group our pay offer is still way below inflation, and in England is still staged so that it is 1.9% over the year rather than the 2.5% in the rest of the UK. But it has been speckled with some little treats, such as funding towards professional registration costs (which have risen astronomically in recent years) or a tiny amount of new money for training those that aren't registered, a flat rate increase for the lowest payed, and agreement to negotiate on terms and conditions issues such as the removal of band 1 from the pay scale and moving towards a 35 hour week.
Now lets face it, this is still a crap offer - especially as staging still stands in England. But it does open some avenues which have previously been closed to our negotiators, namely addressing low pay at the bottom of the scale and the length of the working week. There has been some criticism of the Health Service Group Executive for not making a recommendation in the consultative ballot. But I can understand, on such a crucial issue, wanting to give the facts to the members and asking them their view. We will need a decisive vote to reject the deal for there to be momentum for industrial action. It is interesting to note that both the Unite - Amicus section and GMB are balloting their members recommending acceptance so it's looking more and more likely that any action our health members could take would be alone without our sisters and brothers in other unions.
I personally have not decided how I will vote in the pay ballot in health. It's clear that if we reject at this stage we would have to be able to mount successful industrial action and that will play an important part in my assessment when I make my cross in the box.
Within Local Government the issue is very live, and I don't think our lay structures have had chance to consider it and decide what to do.
The main point to drive home to members is to get your voices heard in the ballot and other consultations over the pay offer.
I am a member of the National Executive Council of UNISON where I represent the West Midlands Region. This blog has the aim of keeping members up to date with what's going on, what I'm up to on your behalf and what I'm thinking on current issues. This is not an official UNISON site and opinions expressed here are my own and not official UNISON positions.
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4 comments:
Making headlines everywhere
http://www.anticapitalism.org.uk/page.php?article=1133
Gosh, I'm honoured! Doesn't mention that I also moved amendments talking about public sector pay and other issues critical of the Government. Ah well, I suppose you can't expect balance from extremists
Surely the job of those of us on the NEC is to provide a bit of leadership rather than just to leave decisions to the members? In the end members will - quite rightly - take decisions. In the mean time they might think that those of us elected to the NEC ought to take some responsibility for making recommendations.
I shall continue to accept that responsibility - will you?
Just to update - I've now voted against the offer in health.
For any UHB Branch member I've set up some drop in sessions on Monday and Wednesday afternoon to help members understand the offer and whhat acceptance or rejection would mean.
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