The government and 14 NHS unions, excluding doctors and dentists, have struck a new pay deal for NHS staff after months of strikes by nurses, physios, and ambulance crews.
Major NHS Unions Back Pay Offer
Though some unions slammed the offer, the majority gave it the green light. Big names like Unison, GMB, and unions representing physios and midwives threw their weight behind the deal. Now, all NHS workers covered will see a pay boost.
Union Boss Calls for Fair Pay—And an End to Strikes
Unison’s head of health, Sara Gorton, who chairs the joint NHS union group, said: “NHS workers will now want the pay rise they’ve voted to accept. The hope is that the one-off payment and salary increase will be in June’s pay packets.”
She added that the strike action could have been avoided with proper pay talks last autumn.
Health Secretary Urges Remaining Unions to Think Again
Health Secretary Steve Barclay welcomed the deal and urged unions still threatening strike action to reconsider. He insisted the agreement is fair and backed by the majority of NHS colleagues, though talks on workforce changes will carry on.
RCN Rebuffs Deal, Plans National Strikes
The Royal College of Nursing wasn’t having it, rejecting the deal outright. The RCN warns more strikes are coming and will kick off a national ballot soon, with results due in June. Unlike last time, this ballot covers the entire UK—making it tougher to win strike approval.
Doctors Still Out of the Loop
Meanwhile, the government is set to meet the British Medical Association on Tuesday over junior doctors’ pay. They operate under a different contract and weren’t included in this latest deal—meaning their disputes are far from over.
