Health unions back the pay attack

Union leaders agreed to recommend a fundamental attack on health workers’ pay on Friday of last week.

The NHS national staff council met to discuss changes to the Agenda for Change national agreement on terms and conditions.

These would mean that every annual increment, on every pay band, would be conditional on criteria set by “local performance schemes”. Workers’ progression through pay bands would also be affected, and sick pay slashed by up to a third.

The proposals will now be sent to union members in a “joint” document from unions and employers—although several unions voted against this, including Unite.

Workers in unions who are being consulted should vote no. Unite’s health executive had already passed opposition to the proposals, but has yet to call action.

Fightbacks in Whitstable and Wigan

Some 70 people met in Whitstable, east Kent, last Wednesday to launch a Keep Our NHS Public group. They agreed to call a protest against privatisation. On Saturday 100 people met in Wigan to organise against hospital closures.

Pensioners protest at NHS cuts

Over 100 people joined a demonstration in Birmingham last Saturday to highlight the government’s attack on the NHS—protesting against the Health and Social Care Act. It was organised by the West Midlands Pensioners’ Convention.

At a rally afterwards, speakers stressed their opposition to Tories and pledged to continue to defend the NHS.