RepsDirect No 633 - 27 April 2007

• 2007 Pay Award

I set out below the Agreed Position of the Health Sector National Committee in regard to the 2007 Pay Award. The National Committee met yesterday 26th April 2007 and discussed at length the offer of a staged award following the Pay Review Body award and it resolved the following.

The National Committee recognises the anger and disappointment of health workers, covered by the Nurses and other Health Professions Review Body, at the government’s decision to award a below inflation 2.5%. This to be staged in two instalments, effectively, giving it a value of only 1.9% over the year 2007/8, though not in Scotland where it has been announced that the award will be paid in full.

The Committee noted an identical staged offer from the English and Welsh employers on the Pay Negotiating Council.

Accordingly the Committee agreed to:

• Reject the staged award of 1.9% at the PNC due to meet on 27th April 2007.
• To uphold the independence and integrity of the PRB, which has been demonstrated for the second year running.
• Insist on the implementation as a minimum of the 2.5% (without any staging) in order to protect this integrity.
• Seek an urgent meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and press for him to implement the award of the PRB from 1st April 2007.
• Reflect the diversity in Pay evident within the nations and call upon Wales and Northern Ireland administrations to implement the award of the PRB from 1st April.
• Advise Amicus Political department of the determination of the National Committee in regard to pay and seek urgent support of Amicus MPs via lobbying, direct contact and member mailing etc in order to ensure the immediate implementation of the PRB award.
• To work with other unions, that have also rejected the staged award with the objective of securing an improvement.

Dependent upon negotiations to reconvene the Health Service National Committee at an appropriate point in the campaign to consider what further action may be taken including consideration of an industrial action ballot of all the Health Sector membership.