Health union warns of industrial action asWells urges restraint

Anne Speed said: “He speaks of the need to exercise pay restraint given his current financial pressures in the health budget.

“The Independent Pay Review Body recommendation of just 1 per cent is clearly an example of pay restraint. The increment in pay in fact reflects the service required to achieve the agreed rate for pay bands across the service.

“The truth of the matter is workers have been waiting over a number of years to get that agreed pay rate. This is completely unacceptable that these workers will be denied this pay uplift.”

The regional head of bargaining and negotiation at the trade union, which represents many local health workers, claims that the Health Minister seems “intent on selling the disastrous decisions of Westminster and the National Health Service (NHS) in England which has led to a rolling campaign of industrial action in England, Scotland and Wales.”

She said: “It is now inevitable that health workers in Northern Ireland will be joining them over the coming months in a united demand to secure a realistic pay strategy for the next few years.

“In addition UNISON will be heavily involved in making challenges to the many controversial decisions on cuts to services and increased privatisation.”

This morning Mr Wells stated: “I have decided to follow the lead of the Finance Minister and exercise a degree of restraint over pay, given the financial challenges and the need to prioritise front line service provision.

“Subject to the necessary approvals, staff will therefore receive either the incremental progression they are entitled to or a 1 per cent non consolidated pay award if they are at the top of the pay scale.

“Consultation processes will also commence shortly which could mean that higher and lower clinical excellence awards will not be made for 2012/13 and 2013/14.”

He added: “Given the significant financial challenges, I have had to make difficult choices in both allocating resources and determining the measures needed to secure break even. These decisions reflect what is achievable in maintaining safety and minimising costs between now and the end of the financial year.”