Unison Glasgow Clyde & CVS Branch 

PAY UPDATE....

UNISON RECOMMENDS ACCEPTANCE OF NHS PAY OFFER.

The ballot for Your Say on Pay will open on the 15th April, it’s important to have your vote counted.

Since the final offer was made we have taken soundings from our members and activists and we are recommending acceptance of the formal offer. We believe that this is the best offer that can be achieved through negotiation.

Whilst the offer does not reach our goal of £2k across the board for all staff, we have based our recommendation on feedback from our members.

Should members choose to reject the offer, then a period of sustained industrial action will be required.

To this end we have set up an industrial action committee so we are ready if you decide that is the way to go.

Whatever your vote, it’s important that you vote!

This is about your pay and therefore your decision.

UNISON held demonstrations across NHSGGC as part of a wider Scottish Campaign for higher wages in recognition of the work undertaken by NHS workers during the coronavirus crisis.

In a series of linked, socially-distanced protests across Glasgow, nurses and key healthcare workers demonstrated in front of hospitals from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Cathy Millar, Branch Secretary said that the protestors were demanding higher wages for all health workers, including domestics, porters and cleaners, essential for keeping the hospital running and controlling the spread of infection.

She said that hospitals would "fall apart" without these key workers.

The Health Secretary met with UNISON members following the demonstrations to discuss their demand for the three-year pay deal to re-open, in light of the added pressures of the pandemic but did not commit to a pay rise.

Frances Carmichael, Assistant Branch Secretary said: "It's about time NHS staff were recognised properly."

She added: "We're arguing that due to the cost of living increase, other public sector pay increases and also the added costs of working through Covid that it has been a huge cost to members, financially as well as mentally."

Asked what she would say if she were to meet Jeane Freeman at the talks this afternoon, Frances said: "NHS staff deserve a pay rise for the job that they do.

"A lot of them go through years of university but we also have our domestic porters who are grafters and they have been at the frontline trying to keep the hospital as clean as possible and at the same time you have the nurses trying to save lives.

"We're not saying that we're heroes and we deserve it more than everyone else. We all played our part but there needs to be the recognition that NHS staff are way behind in pay."

All members will be asked to participate in an online ballot on the pay offer from Scottish Government.

The members opinion is vitally important, and we advise everyone to update their records on the My-unison.org link below or contact the branch to update your contact details and GDPR settings.

We can only email you if you have given us permission.

A link will be provided for those without email addresses on social media and websites for you to vote.

UNISON believes that all NHS staff deserve to be rewarded for their hard work and dedication in response to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

The Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee Staffside, recently wrote to the Cabinet Minister for Health to discuss re-opening the clause in the current pay deal to negotiate on your behalf.

Whilst we welcome the sentiment in her response, we are dismayed by the tone of the letter seeking to avoid further discussion of this current pay deal and move forward to next years pay negotiations for 2021-22.

All staff working on the front line delivering our amazing NHS service deserve our admiration and respect for the danger they have faced to provide care, protect the public and fight to save those who have faced this dreadful virus.

We are One Team and we recognise the important part you all play in keeping the service running. It is also fundamental to UNISON that your Health and Safety is of vital importance as we move into recovery and a return to the provision of full NHS services.

UNISON is conducting a survey of our members to support our campaigns to ensure that the efforts of the health team are recognised and rewarded.

The survey asks about the impact of COVID-19 on you and for your views on pay awards this year and next. Please take the time to take part as your opinions are important.

Many Thanks

Cathy Miller

Click the picture for the link which will take you direct to the survey it should take about 10 minutes to complete.

UNISON is in the media today calling for an Independent Task Force to be set up after a prisoner was transferred to the Acute Psychiatric Unit at IRH with items including a knife.

This ward like so many others is over reliant on bank and agency staff and violent incidents have increased significantly.

UNISON says, “It’s easy for NHS bosses and politicians to claim that there isn’t a staffing problem in the NHS. This story and countless others clearly demonstrate that UNISON members are working flat out and that there is a need for many more staff in some areas.”

Matt McLaughlin UNISON Regional Organiser, has contacted the director of estates for clarity on the current drinking water situation. Below is a copy of the email. We will update members when we receive a response:

Dear Tom,

I have received a significant number of contacts from UNISON members and activists concerning the Boards decision to remove drinking water coolers from the workplace, on the basis that the ‘tap’ in these coolers represents a risk to health from infection control and the nature of stored, uncirculated water similarly presents risks to health.

I appreciate that this is based on a Sc Gvt directive and appears linked to concerns over infection control. However in terms of my own investigations (all be it quick) I am not convinced that NHSGGC has net its obligations in respect of the HSWA to properly consult with unions.

More critically, I understand that the Boards position is to advise staff to fill drinking bottles from cold taps in local workplaces.

This raises a number of immediate concerns:

1) Can you assure me that every cold tap, in every workplace in NHSGGC is supplied by potable mains water?

2) If there are concerns over infection control due to water cooler taps – how does filling from a sink/basin tap achieve a safer/lower risk

3) What consultation has taken place with unions

4) What advice has been issued to staff – I understand that in some areas staff have been told to bring in their own bottled water – will you be picking up the expense of this?

5) Whilst there are taps with potable water, I understand that in some areas, on some sites, the water is not always palatable. What steps have been taken to identify these areas and what advice has been issued?

6) What is the water testing regime and will it be increased to ensure water quality remains high?

7) What is the impact on sites where we share with other partners i.e. city council

If water from mains taps is the preferred solution, we call upon NHSGGC to undertake a rapid assessment and roll out of drinking water taps – which results in at least one tap for every 50 workers being identified and signposted as ‘safe to drink’ across all of our establishments

Further we expect that NHSGGC will work with UNISON to identify areas where water is safe but not palatable to ensure a sensible outcome.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Matt McLaughlin

UNISON Scotland

UNISON NHSGGC & CVS Branch attended a ceremony on 26th November, to recognise the high standard of work of this years recruits in the Boards modern apprenticeship programme.

All receive mentor support and are given role-specific training packages which ultimately lead to SQA qualifications.

Frances Carmichael, Assistant Branch Secretary of UNISON NHS Glasgow Clyde and CVS Branch, said:

“We are proud that NHS GGC & CVS Branch supports the Board’s MA programme by sponsoring the Modern Apprentice of the Year prize.

“Modern Apprenticeships provide us with the means to recruit young people into permanent employment within our organisation.

Frances added,

“We recognise the exceptionally high standard of employees who have been recruited through this programme, and highlight the dedication and enthusiasm of each individual, and their exceptional performance on the job and in approach to their studies.

“UNISON NHS Glasgow Clyde and CVS Branch is honoured to have sponsored and supported these apprentices over the last five years, and will continue to support this innovative programme.”

In October, UNISON launched two surveys; one for our members in nursing, and one for our members in admin.

Members who responded to the nursing survey articulated a widespread crisis of staff confidence in staffing levels and patient care across NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

More than a third of respondents were unable to take their full break entitlement on their last shift, 67% said they were unable to spend enough time with patients, and 68% said there were not enough staff to provide safe, adequate care. Most shockingly, 77% of staff said they had considered leaving the NHS altogether.

Responding to the results, UNISON NHS GGC & CVS Branch Secretary, Cathy Miller said:

“UNISON is calling on NHS Glasgow and Clyde to take clear and immediate action; enter into meaningful dialogue with unions to solve this worsening crisis before it’s too late.”

Members in admin reported shocking levels of stress at work. 49% are usually or always stressed at work, with the majority citing overwork, pressure, and poor workload distribution as the major cause.

Mirroring the responses of members in nursing, 74% of respondents in admin have considered leaving the NHS as a result.

Assistant Branch Secretary Frances Carmichael said

“Admin staff are consistently referred to as ‘back room staff‘ and are seen as easy targets for cost cutting efficiencies. This needs to stop now and appropriate resources and support put in place to allow them carry out their role. They are very much part of One Team ”

94% of UNISON members voted to accept the 3 year pay deal – which will put an additional £400m into NHS workers pay packets in Scotland.

The deal delivers real increases of between 3 and 27% for NHS workers in Scotland. This is a strong endorsement and a good result for UNISON members.

UNISON has engaged in a month long consultation process – consulting almost 60,000 NHS workers in Scotland in a four week ballot. The result means

• All NHS Scotland staff earning under £80,000 to receive a 3% pay increase backdated to April 1, 2018, with a payment of £1600 for staff earning more than £80,000

• The top of all pay scales to rise by 9% over the lifetime of the three-year deal (including 2018 or £1600 per annum for scales above £80,000

• Larger increments and faster progression for staff in post, but not yet at the top of their pay band – worth between 11.3% and 27.7%

• Removal of band overlaps to ensure promotion comes with a proper pay rise and to lessen the risk of equal pay challenges

• Big improvements in starting salaries to help the NHS attract and retain new staff

• Applies to all NHS contractor staff

UNISON, Scotland’s biggest health union, is now calling on the Scottish Government to set up formal structures to negotiate direct with NHS unions in Scotland from now on, and officially leave the UK’s NHS Pay Review Body.

This is the first year UNISON and other health unions have submitted a pay claim direct to the Scottish Government.

The UK’s NHS Pay Review Body negotiates with health unions on pay on behalf of the NHS across the UK. UNISON members has lost trust in NHS Pay Review Body and don’t think it listens to their concerns.

In July 2018 the NHS turns 70, and UNISON celebrates our 25th Birthday.

To Celebrate, parties and events were held across NHS GGC. Some events were held in the community and there are lots of photos of the vents on our instagram and facebook pages.

The NHS remains our most popular national institution – the thing that makes us most proud of our country. And it continues to come top when comparing it to healthcare systems which exist in other countries, for both fairness and efficiency. But we can never afford to take our NHS for granted.

Years of government under-investment have been accompanied by repeated attempts to break up and privatise NHS services. Our members work tirelessly every day to ensure that patients continue to receive the best care possible. But healthcare staff are also at the sharp end of cuts, experiencing unprecedented levels of stress and pressure in the workplace.

UNISON recognises that we need to continue to campaign to protect and defend our NHS. However, we also think it’s important to celebrate its achievements and everything it stands for.

Click on the link below to go to our instagram page to see photos of our events

https://www.instagram.com/nhsggc_unison_cvs/