1% Payrise for NHS workers

Well well.
It seems the ‘Unite’ Union is taking on the government over the ‘derisory 1%’ pay rise. They are demanding 12.5%. They are considering a ballot for strike action.
Fools.

‘Unison’ was my NHS Union. Much less militant.

Did the nurses work unpaid overtime the pandemic? No, didn't think so.

Yes reward them, I'd suggest a bonus, but a 12% pay rise is 12% every year forever.

25Avalon

The issue that has annoyed me for many years now is that of agency nurses. To get better pay a lot of nurses work for agencies instead of the NHS. This costs the NHS a lot of money and lines the pockets of the agencies. Surely it would be cheaper to pay nurses more but less than you would pay the agency so benefitting all.

Also nurses do their training but are not guaranteed a job at the end of it.

There are, of course, many other workers in the NHS - porters, cleaners, admin staff, doctors, physiotherapists, paramedics etc not just nurses. When I worked for the NHS I applied for jobs outside and realised I was not badly paid by comparison. I had to pay into a pension scheme which was index linked and although I only had 12 years service it is a nice top up for my state pension. Same as teachers on index linked pensions.

Good points and well made.
My DIL is a nurse and considers herself well paid.She chooses now and then to do extra shifts ( but doesn’t ‘have to’).
There has been a huge rise in applications to become nurses, so hopefully agency nurses won’t be as much needed in the future ( it’s a sore point with all nursing staff as you point out
25Avalon.
Having said that, the 1/% rise was a political mistake in my view, as not only NHS but the wider public will see it as an insult.You would think that politicians would see that, but as
Politicians have been making political mistakes ( as opposed to any other kind) since Adam was a lad, I’m hardly surprised.

I agree seamstress,10% on MP`s wages is a wage in itself to some people,it`s a damn insult.

Exactly Galaxy.

I have worked in early years throughout the pandemic, obviously we are all amazing but myself and no one I know in early years would compare it to working in the NHS at this time.

I'm not a "Tory fan" seamstress and it seems rather childish to assume that only Tory fans would support this pay rise.

Is it enough? No, but in the current economic crisis and world wide pandemic it's better than nothing and as has already been said, they are the only public sector workers getting a pay rise.

Many in the private sector have been on a reduced income and many have lost their jobs.

Well let’s give it to all public key workers then who have kept things running smoothly for all of us.

Bin men, paramedics, the police dealing with the covidiots, teachers in Early Years who have not been allowed to wear PPE in their classrooms as these are considered a ‘bubble’ (!) and the dentists who provided emergency treatments when there was no such thing as a vaccine and covid was a really scary thing.

I don’t think anybody should get a rise at the moment Private or Public sector.

Let’s wait six months and then assess the situation, see what’s happening with regards to Covid and the economy in general.

It would be justified to give a much larger pay increase to NHS staff, if only we could give it to the staff who really have given their all during this current crisis, especially the ones working on Covid wards.
A rise across the board would reward lazy, uncaring staff, and we have all met them, who shouldn’t be in the job.
Two close friends have very recently been in hospital with broken limbs after falls.
Both have complained about nursing staff, I think we are talking HCA here although I don’t know.
With no visiting, no family are around to complain or see things for themselves.
Please don’t jump down my throat for these observations, there is good and bad in every profession and every walk of life and any hospital stay brings this home.
I just don’t agree with the blanket awe of all nursing staff.

Yes, Alegrias1 they really, really are. You are spot on.

The issue that has annoyed me for many years now is that of agency nurses. To get better pay a lot of nurses work for agencies instead of the NHS. This costs the NHS a lot of money and lines the pockets of the agencies. Surely it would be cheaper to pay nurses more but less than you would pay the agency so benefitting all.

Also nurses do their training but are not guaranteed a job at the end of it.

There are, of course, many other workers in the NHS - porters, cleaners, admin staff, doctors, physiotherapists, paramedics etc not just nurses. When I worked for the NHS I applied for jobs outside and realised I was not badly paid by comparison. I had to pay into a pension scheme which was index linked and although I only had 12 years service it is a nice top up for my state pension. Same as teachers on index linked pensions.

Are people on here truly trying to justify this derisory pay rise on the grounds that the nurses should be glad they've managed to keep their jobs during this pandemic?

Tory morality in action, ladies.

The clapping cost nothing so it was really easy to do. Meant nothing in my view.

30 billion has been taken out of the day to day running of the NHS Disgraceful
The NHS workers deserve a decent pay rise for all their hard work even more so with coping with this pandemic.

The NHS and its workers has been ignored in this austerity budget

grandmajet ??

They are the only Public Sector workers getting a pay increase

It's disgusting. And it will actually probably be a pay cut, because inflation is due to rise to over 1% so they will feel no advantage at all. The amount of money spent on useless deals by this government could have been ploughed into the NHS. As for those supporting it, were you out clapping for the NHS? If so was it just a case of pretending for the neighbours? Do you really think a few claps adequately compensates anyone?

Seamstress, MPs did not get a pay rise last year, they were strongly against it and it was turned down as inappropriate at this time.
Nhs workers do work very hard, but also do get good pay as well as other forms of support in their working life such as excellent holidays, paid paternity leave, support during sickness etc. It is right that they do so, but their position over the past year has been one of a secure well paid job compared to many whose lives have been turned upside down through no fault of their own.

I worked for the NHS all my working life, with a break for children, and I did get a (reduced) pension at 56 and worked on a bank basis until 60. My private pension is tiny, and I do not want to put private info on here, but you would be surprised how small it is. This is because wages throughout my working life were relatively low until my last few years of service.

The problems of Covid were exacerbated by the poor state of the NHS which had been starved of cash for years, and social care problems, which had been largely ignored. It is also becoming clear that years of austerity has left many people living in poverty, who have been disproportionately impacted by Covid.

The least that the government could do now is to rectify their mistakes by properly funding the NHS, sorting out Social Care, and paying health staff a fair wage for everything they have, and are still going through.

There you go Liz46 point well made. Nurses have a secure income and good pensions. The private sector has been hit harder.

True, But shows it’s not rubbish here either.
I like EkwaNimitee’s suggestion better. A one-off COVID thank you. Even for those nurses who haven’t been on the wards or in ICU.

On the face of it 1% seems an insult but my daughter's salary was reduced by 10% last year as the company is struggling because of the pandemic. She is supporting two children with very little help from her ex. Bank of mum helps out.

We aren't talking about Spain though are we? You could compare t and cs in Australia or Dubai.

I read in the Guardian only a couple of months ago of a Spaniard who works over here. Has done for many years. He said the Spanish system - terms and conditions - is shit. His words. Look it up if you don’t believe me.

I’m not a mean person. And I worked for the NHS in a hospital for over 35 years.

The shortage of nurses isn’t because of their salary. It’s because bursaries were removed by Gideon for training. University fees cost money. Many would be nurses can’t afford the fees.

My guess? It gives them a chance to do a U turn and then everyone will think they’re fabulous. It’s game playing and we’re being played.