The government has offered £2.5 billion to the NHS unions to end the ongoing bitter strikes for thousands of staff.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said that newly qualified nurses that is over £1,800 this year on top of a payrise worth more than £1,300 next year.
He said, “I hugely admire the incredible work of NHS staff, including during the pandemic and the progress they have made to tackle the resulting backlog.
“This offer will give nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and other non-medical staff a fair pay rise while protecting our commitment to halve inflation.”
The Royal College of Nursing and GMB and said they will recommend their members to take the pay offer as this is “best that can be achieved at this stage.”
Unite said it would not be recommending the offer, “Ultimately it is important that our members make the final decision.
“Unite will support members in whichever decision they now make. As Unite members are being consulted, strike action will be paused.”
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, said if the offer is accepted this will be a “huge uplift for the lowest paid to keep them well above the Real Living Wage.”
She said, “Thanks to the strength and hard work of GMB’s NHS members, the government has gone from refusing to talk about pay this year to putting an extra 2.5 billion pounds on the table.
“GMB members should rightly be proud of themselves. It’s been a tough road but they have faced down the Department of Health and won an offer that we feel is the best that can be achieved at this stage through negotiation.”
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