Health Conference 08

When I first became active in UNISON a few years ago (rather then just carrying the card and paying the subs), my first event outside my branch was Health Conference. Although a great deal more sedate and consensual than the student movement I had been used to, I really enjoyed it and so Health Conference is always a bit special.

This year was no different, but having had the pay offer go out last week this year was certainly tenser. A pay offer which falls woefully short of our claim for a substantially above inflation increase, but clearly the best so far in the public services worth 2.75 overall in the first year, then 2.5 in following year. Though the rate is too low, there are some significant improvements within the offer on other issues. UNISON has consistently argued for the removal of Band 1, the lowest pay band in the A4C scale. By removing the lowest pay point this offer would take us a significant step forward to that aim. It would leave the starting point on Band 1 being the same as Band 2, and increase the already relatively high minimum wage in the NHS. The offer also includes extra for the lower paid bands (1-3) which is clearly an achievement for UNISON’s negotiators, the only ones representing a significant number of low paid staff. The deal will also benefit many staff on Band 5, which with be restructured to be shorter, a step towards UNISON’s policy of reducing the length of the long pay bands.

Having had the Service Group Executive (SGE) exactly split on whether to recommend acceptance or rejection of the offer, the SGE put an Emergency Motion to the conference to ballot without recommendation. There were also emergency motions to reject the offer and go to a strike ballot, and to recommend acceptance of the first year and not following years (which isn’t even an offer on the table).

After some very vigorous debate, there needed to be a card vote which came out in favour of the SGE motion to ballot without recommendation.

The rest of the conference was less heated. Health Minister Ivan Lewis MP addressed conference to a rather sedate reception (the easiest ride we’ve ever given to a minister when I’ve been there). I was there as a delegate from the National Young Members Forum, having submitted a motion on student health professionals and jobs on graduation. I’m glad to say that the composite it was within passed (and it was a miracle it was heard being the last item of business on the agenda.