NHS staff ask for 3.9% pay rise

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NHS staff have written to the UK and Scottish Governments asking for a 3.9 per cent pay rise.

The move, orchestrated by 14 trade unions, follows the decision by both governments to lift the public sector pay cap.

In her programme for government Nicola Sturgeon announced the one per cent cap would be lifted in Scotland and future pay rises would be based on the cost of living.

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"Nurses, teachers, police officers and firefighters deserve a fairer deal for the future," she told MSPs.

Meanwhile the UK Government has said it will move to “a more flexible approach to public sector pay” after two years of frozen wages from 2010, followed by a cap of one per cent.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss told the BBC review bodies and departments would be given more leeway in the future.

"What we are making sure is that we look at it on a workforce-by-workforce basis because there are very different issues for teachers than for nurses and for police officers," she said.

Now health unions will formally submit a claim for a 3.9 per cent rise to the NHS pay review body and Scottish Government next week.

They will also ask for an additional £800 a head to cover lost earnings over the past seven years, they said.

Sara Gorton, head of health for Unison, said: “Health workers have gone without a proper pay rise for far too long.

"Their wages continue to fall behind inflation as food and fuel bills, housing and transport costs rise."

Unison Scotland’s head of health Willie Duffy added: "UNISON Scotland, with other NHS unions, will formally submit a claim to the NHS employers on (Wednesday) 20th September as part of our ongoing evidence to the NHS pay review body and Scottish government.

“In line with health unions across the UK, we will asking for a pay rise in line with inflation (Retail Price Index) and we will be attempting to recover past loses."

Other unions to have signed the letter include the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Unite and the GMB.

It is thought doctor’s union the BMA has not signed the letter.