Government to halt a one per cent pay rise for all NHS staff

[dutchman]

The government has provoked a clash with health unions after moving to halt a 1 per cent pay rise for all NHS staff in England.

Ministers believe the pay rise is not affordable without reform of the current remuneration system which sees many staff receive incremental annual rises.

Jeremy Hunt, health secretary, has urged the NHS pay review body to withhold the proposed rise for 1.3m staff, pending a “modernisation” of the way that pay rises are awarded.

Rachael Maskell (COR), of the Unite trade union, said staff deserved the pay reward for “holding the NHS together”.

The Department of Health says the automatic increments - linked to length of service and satisfactory performance - add £900m to salary costs.

Independent pay review bodies will make their final recommendations next spring but the issue will be highly contentious in the run-up to the next election.

David Cameron does not want a clash with health workers, but Labour will also be under pressure to say how they might restrain public sector pay if they win the poll in 2015.

[dutchman]

Saw this coming a long time ago!

Teachers and social workers are next.