NHS staff are calling for an above-inflation rise after a decade of real-terms pay cuts.
Nurses have gone from “heroes” during the pandemic to this government’s “villains” because of a fight for fair pay.
Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Labour MP Ian Lavery criticised Ministers for “a derisory 72p a week pay rise” despite clapping for them during the pandemic.
Nursing staff are calling for an above-inflation rise after a decade of real-terms pay cuts amid a growing workforce crisis.
With around 47,000 unfilled nursing vacancies across the NHS in England, nurses face being about £10,000 worse off today in real-terms than in 2008 due to wages failing to keep up with inflation.
A 72p per week pay rise.
Mr Lavery said, “During the lockdown, we clapped them, and then we laid wreaths for healthcare staff who had died on the frontline.
“How quickly our nurses have gone from the country’s heroes to this Government’s villains—offered a derisory 72p a week pay rise and then painted as militants for daring to have the audacity to ballot for industrial action for the first time in a century.
“Claps do not pay the bills, and neither does a 72p pay rise. Nurses are leaving the NHS in their droves, feeling abandoned by this Government.
“Surely even the Prime Minister agrees that the Government have their priorities wrong when they are uncapping the bonuses of the bankers and at the same time offering derisory pay rises to our treasured NHS staff.”
Head in the sand.
Earlier this week, Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey told Sky News today that she is “not anticipating” a pay rise for NHS workers despite ongoing pressures from health unions to act.
Dr Coffey told viewers, “having respect of the independent pay review body, I’m not anticipating that we will be making any further changes.”
Her comments have been blasted by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), which accused Dr Coffey of having her “head firmly in the sand”.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Pat Cullen said, “Nurses and support workers hearing this will be angry but it will make them even more determined. Members should find their ballot papers today and show the Health Secretary we have a strong voice that she cannot dismiss.
