Agenda for Change roadshows outline new changes

A bulletin has gone out to Health members in Scotland updating on Agenda for Change and giving details of roadshows around the country to brief members.

Agenda for Change, the proposed new pay and grading system for the NHS, is the most important change in pay and conditions since the health service was first formed in 1948.

The proposals will affect the vast majority of staff in the service - changing pay, annual leave, overtime and working hours. UNISON is fully committed to the principles as shown by involvement in the planning and negotiation of the scheme.

However, as previously constituted, it was totally unacceptable to members in Scotland as it would have resulted in heavy financial losses to a large section of staff.

This was exposed by the practical application of Agenda for Change in West Lothian which showed that about half of all ancillary, admin and clerical and estates and maintenance staff would require protection, with almost a third of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals also needing protection.

As a result of UNISON's negotiations substantial changes have been made to the proposed scheme. The main changes are:

• Unsocial Hours uncoupled
• Pay Band 1 - Lowest Incremental Point removed and extra point added at top. Scale now £11,135 - £12,147 per annum. Point 1 previously £5.51 now £5.71 per hour. Point 4 previously £6.05, now £6.23 per hour
• New Pay Band 9 introduced

Initial figures in West Lothian, projected throughout Scotland now show the remaining numbers of staff requiring protection down to as low as 0.8% with other groups between 1.4% and 5.9% with the highest figure (admin and clerical) at 35%.

While this is a vast improvement, it is still not satisfactory to UNISON, a fact the union took up with Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm.

In his reply letter, he promised "...The aim should be to establish clearly the levels of protection and to tackle any remaining significant rates of protection in a way which addresses the negative impact on staff earnings."

And he went on... "... all parties throughout the negotiations on Agenda for Change have agreed that some staff will require to be protected. I have already ensured that these individuals will be more favourably treated in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK"

UNISON's Scottish Health Committee has welcomed the new developments but are still concerned at the high level of people still requiring protection, in particular amongst Admin & Clerical staff.

They have now asked the negotiators to go back to the Scottish Executive and resolve this issue.

Over the next few weeks UNISON road shows explaining the practical application of Agenda for Change will be taking place. Make sure that you either attend these meetings or receive information on Agenda for Change by contacting your local branch secretary or visit our website www.unison-scotland.org.uk/nhs/agenda.html

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