Reject Agenda for Change!

Submitted by Daniel_Randall on 23 September, 2004 - 12:00

The Health Service Group Executive of the public-service workers' union Unison voted on 8 September to recommend "Yes" to Agenda for Change.

The recommendation will go to a special conference of the health sector of Unison in London on 7 October.

Five health unions – Amicus, TGWU, Society of Radiographers, UCATT, and UNISON — are due to hold ballots this autumn to ask members if they want to accept the offer.

Agenda for Change is the government's proposal to restructure health-service pay. It would cut pay rates for a sizeable proportion of posts, and bring in longer working hours for a number of health service workers.

Right from the start Unison said that a measure of success in this new pay structure would be if "only” 8% of staff would need to have their existing pay protected because the rate for their job would be cut. (New workers in those jobs would have lower pay, and the existing workers would lose future rises). But many more staff than that are expected to need protection, and the system for paying unsocial hours has proved to be unworkable in the Early Implementer sites. Now the government has divorced some aspects of the deal to be dealt with later. But the whole package should be rejected, to force the government back to the negotiating table.

Rank and file healthworkers have produced a leaflet, under the banner of the paper Healthworker, arguing against the deal. You can download it at:
www.workersliberty.org.

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.