Nurses and other NHS workers in England who belong to the union Unison have voted to accept the latest pay offer from the government.
Unison said 53% of eligible members turned out in the ballot, with almost three quarters (74%) voting to accept the offer and 26% voting to reject it.
“Clearly health workers would have wanted more, but this was the best that could be achieved through negotiation”
Sara Gorton
Under the deal, Agenda for Change staff in England would get a non-consolidated lump sum payment for 2022-23 of between £1,655 (8.2%) for band 1 to £3,789 (3.5%), to go on top of the average 4.75% consolidated boost already received.
The government is also offering a consolidated increase for 2023-24 of 5% for all except the lowest-paid staff who would get 10.4%.
The changes mean that a nurse in the middle of band 6 would see their salary permanently increase by 9.3% over two years, from £34,172 in 2021-22 to £37,350 in 2023-24, and they would also get a one-off bonus totalling £2,061 (5.8%).
Unison had recommended acceptance of the offer, which was put forward by the government on 16 March following pay talks with unions and employers, and strikes by nurses and other health workers.
The union’s head of health Sara Gorton said: “Clearly health workers would have wanted more, but this was the best that could be achieved through negotiation.
“Over the past few weeks, health workers have weighed up what’s on offer. They’ve opted for the certainty of getting the extra cash in their pockets soon.
“It’s a pity it took several months of strike action before the government would commit to talks,” said Ms Gorton in a statement.
She noted that other unions were still consulting on the pay offer so the “full picture” would not be known until the end of this month.
However, Ms Gorton added: “Unison will be urging the government to ensure NHS workers get the wage rises they’ve voted for at the earliest opportunity.”
The Royal College of Nursing’s ballot results were announced an hour later at 5pm.
Its members voted against the deal, with 54% voting to reject the deal and 46% voting to accept it.
It is unclear at this stage how many unions need to accept the offer for the government to implement it.
However, in an interview with Nursing Times recently, Ms Gorton said: “There was a clear expectation set by government that if unions didn’t accept [it], the deal would not be on the table.
“So, I guess the risk is that if a significant number of unions reject, then the offer may disperse and we would be back to waiting for the pay review body.”
A government spokesperson welcomed the result from the Unison ballot and claimed it demonstrated that the pay offer was “a fair and reasonable proposal that can bring this dispute to an end”.
“Hundreds of thousands of Agenda for Change staff continue to vote in ballots for other unions over the next two weeks and we hope this generous offer secures their support,” they added.
Responding the outcome of the ballot of Unison members, Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said: “There is a mixed picture emerging in relation to the pay deal offered to the NHS.
“The news from our biggest union, Unison, that their members will accept the deal is very positive indeed,” he said.
Mr Mortimer noted that unions had reached a deal collectively with the government via the NHS Staff Council, and “we all need to see what the final view is across these trade unions as a whole”.
He added: “Whist there is now a period of uncertainty due to the differing responses I would urge all parties to await the completion of the process for all unions this month before deciding what their response should be.
“The calling of further strike action at this stage in the 50% of English trusts where there is a strike mandate for the RCN would, therefore, be premature and disproportionate.”
NHS Providers director of communications Adam Brimelow said it was “positive” that a large proportion of Unison’s members voted to accept the pay deal.
“Members of other unions are still voting,” he said. “The offer was not just for nurses, but all NHS staff (excluding doctors and the most senior leaders). The result of their votes will also be important.”
He added: “Trust leaders understand the frustration of nurses, junior doctors and other staff who have seen their pay fall behind inflation year after year.
“It’s really important that the unions and government find a way through this to prevent more strikes and let the NHS focus on its big challenges including cutting waiting lists and transforming services, instead of having to resort to ‘all hands on deck’ just to get through the day.”
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “While it was positive to see that Unison members have voted today in favour of the pay deal, it is therefore disappointing that the RCN and its members have voted against it.
“We must now await the views of other unions in the coming days and weeks,” she said. “This mixed outcome leaves the NHS in limbo at a time when it desperately needs certainty.
He added: “NHS leaders will be anxious about the impact it will have on patient care and their efforts to bring down waiting lists.