Published on March 4, 2007 at 4:48 AM
UNISON has condemned the government's decision to stage the pay rise for NHS staff covered by the pay review body as a "real let down".
The union has also dismissed the increase for nurses, midwives, paramedics and other health professionals as being well below the level of inflation, for the second year in a row.
Accepting the recommendation of the Independent Pay Review Body (PRB), health secretary Patricia Hewitt approved a 2.5% increase for nurses and other healthcare professionals, with 1.5% paid from 1 April and the remainder paid from 1 November.
"These are sensible increases," she said: "fair for staff, consistent with the government's inflation target and affordable for the NHS."
Ms Hewitt said she appreciated that nurses would be "disappointed" by the staging of their award argued: “overall earnings growth in the NHS will be around 4.5% … as a result of this pay award, the government's pay reforms and opportunities for career progression."
UNISON head of health Karen Jennings had a different view.
"We believe that 2.5% is low enough, without reducing its value even further by paying it in two stages. That means it is worth a paltry 1.9%," she said.
"It is a real letdown for Britain’s nurses and other health professionals, who really do deserve better. They will be deeply disappointed – for the second year in a row they are being asked to accept a pay increase well below the level of inflation."
Ms Jennings added that with the retail price index running at 4.2%, "this award amounts to nothing more than a pay cut. This increase will be eaten up by inflation and leave many nurses struggling."
The union would be consulting widely with its members over the announcement, she said.
http://www.unison.co.uk