Unions warn many workers will quit teaching, nursing and social care rather than take real-terms pay cut
Public sector unions raised the prospect of widespread strikes in schools and hospitals after being told millions of their workers are to receive below-inflation pay rises.
Ministers announced the pay rises on Tuesday, with NHS staff receiving a rise of at least 4.5%, teachers at least 5% and £1,900 for police officers. Health unions angrily denounced the NHS pay rises as a “betrayal” and “a kick in the teeth”, and warned stoppages could be on the horizon.
With energy and food costs soaring, unions had demanded pay rises in line with inflation – currently 9.1% but expected to rise to 11% later in the year, according to the Bank of England – putting them on a collision course with ministers who have said pay restraint is necessary to curb rising prices.
Unions warned many staff would quit rather than accept a real-terms pay cut, exacerbating recruitment and retention problems in key areas such as teaching, nursing and social care – and adding to waiting times for NHS operations and ambulance call outs.
Pat Cullen, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, predicted an exodus of disillusioned nurses from the NHS. “This is a grave misstep by ministers … they have enforced another real-terms pay cut on nursing staff. It will push more nurses and nursing support workers out of the profession,” she said.
The NHS Confederation, which represents hospital trusts in England, warned the government’s failure to fully fund the awards had left the NHS in England in “the impossible position of having to choose which services they will cut back in order to find an unexpected £1.8bn to fund the additional rise.”
The Department of Health and Social Care factored a 3% pay uplift into NHS England’s budget for this year, and has refused to cover the cost of the difference.
Teaching unions responded angrily, pointing out that the pay increase, to be introduced from September, represents a real-terms pay cut. “After 12 years of pay freezes, pay pauses and below-inflation pay awards amounting to a 20% real-terms cut, teachers will be dismayed to hear that the government expects them to stomach the largest real-terms cut to their pay,” said Dr Patrick Roach, the NASUWT general secretary.
The federation representing Metropolitan police officers – the biggest branch – attacked the award, pointing out in recent years police pay has fallen 20% behind inflation. Its chair, Ken Marsh, described the award as “derisory” and “a betrayal.”
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2022 8:37 pm