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More unions threaten pay action NHS 'summer of discontent' fear
(about 9 hours later)
Two more health unions could ballot for action in bitter rows over this year's pay awards. Hundreds of thousands of health workers could go on strike after the biggest trade union in the service rejected a pay offer and agreed to ballot members.
Unison and the Society of Radiographers want the government to reverse its decision to stage the awards. Delegates at Unison's health conference attacked the 2.5% rise in two stages, which they say is only worth 1.9%.
Representatives of both bodies said members were "getting angrier by the day", and that action was a serious possibility. They warned of co-ordinated action leading to a "summer of discontent".
It comes after nurses at their annual conference last week also threatened to take industrial action. The Society of Radiographers has also voted to consider industrial action if the government does not reverse its decision to stage the awards.
Both bodies earlier said members were "getting angrier by the day" at a below-inflation offer that they said amounted to a pay cut.
Nurses
Unison leaders will now demand a meeting with Chancellor Gordon Brown to demand the pay offer be improved, and not staged.
The conference unanimously agreed that a ballot of the union's 450,000 NHS members would be held unless the offer was increased.
The union represents nurses, ambulance crews, paramedics, occupational therapists and clerical staff.
The moves come after nurses in the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) also threatened to take industrial action, in a vote at their conference last week.
Morale in the NHS was bad before but this penny- pinching has sent it to rock bottom Warren Town, Society of RadiographersMorale in the NHS was bad before but this penny- pinching has sent it to rock bottom Warren Town, Society of Radiographers
The Society of Radiographers, which represents 16,000 radiography staff, is holding its annual conference in Brighton.The Society of Radiographers, which represents 16,000 radiography staff, is holding its annual conference in Brighton.
It has called on its executive to do "as much as possible" to persuade the government not to stage the pay award.It has called on its executive to do "as much as possible" to persuade the government not to stage the pay award.
If unsuccessful, the society voted to "consider further action".If unsuccessful, the society voted to "consider further action".
There is unlikely to be an all-out strike, but radiographers could take measures such as refusing to work overtime.There is unlikely to be an all-out strike, but radiographers could take measures such as refusing to work overtime.
This could affect the government's ability to meet it's 18-week wait target between GP referral and hospital operation - which depends largely on getting results from tests such as X-rays quickly. This could affect the government's ability to meet its 18-week wait target between GP referral and hospital operation - which depends largely on getting results from tests such as X-rays quickly.
'Take a stand''Take a stand'
Warren Town, the society's director of industrial relations, said: "This is the first time that any government has staged an increase that is below the rate of inflation and is, in real terms, a cut.Warren Town, the society's director of industrial relations, said: "This is the first time that any government has staged an increase that is below the rate of inflation and is, in real terms, a cut.
"A stand must be taken against the government's move to underpay the people that they claim are absolutely key to delivering NHS targets that they have set."A stand must be taken against the government's move to underpay the people that they claim are absolutely key to delivering NHS targets that they have set.
"Morale in the NHS was bad before but this penny-pinching has sent it to rock bottom.""Morale in the NHS was bad before but this penny-pinching has sent it to rock bottom."
Unison, which represents nurses, ambulance crews, paramedics, occupational therapists and clerical staff, has also protested about the staged 2.5% pay award, which it says has reduced the value of the award to 1.9%.
Its Brighton conference is expected to agree a ballot of the union's 450,000 health workers.
Low-paid ancillary staff such as cleaners and porters have also been told they will receive a staged pay rise, which the union has called "an insult".Low-paid ancillary staff such as cleaners and porters have also been told they will receive a staged pay rise, which the union has called "an insult".
Ms Jennings, Unison's head of health, said she was in no doubt that a strike ballot would be held. Former health minister Lord Warner has hit out at NHS staff, saying they were refusing to accept the need for change.
"If there is no movement from the government over pay, it is quite clear we will be balloting our members and we are pretty sure we will get the response we anticipate. He told the Parliamentary Monitor magazine: "If you say 'Have (staff) delivered all that you would have liked them to deliver for that extra investment?' then the frank answer for me is 'Not as much as I would like to have seen'."
However, former health minister Lord Warner has hit out at NHS staff, saying they were refusing to accept the need for change. Lord Warner added that staff had been slow to embrace new ideas such as the electronic patient record.
He told the Parliamentary Monitor magazine: "If you say 'have (staff) delivered all that you would have liked them to deliver for that extra investment' then the frank answer for me is 'not as much as I would like to have seen."
Lord Warner added that staff had been slow to embrace new ideas such as the electronic patient record."