GMB NHS Members in Northern Ireland to Take Action from 27th April in Pay Dispute

For the NHS there has been no movement by the Minister or Department on dealing with the issue of pay for NHS workers in Northern Ireland - unlike the position in the other three nations says GMB.

GMB attended the meeting of the trade union forum for health in Northern Ireland which met this morning ( 21st April) to discuss the lack of progress to resolve the 2014/15 pay award in the NHS and that staff are still waiting for the Department to come back with their proposed framework within which they will discuss pay for 2015/16.

The unions agreed to take further action to secure progress towards a settlement in Northern Ireland.

GMB members have already taken strike action in the NHS across England & Northern Ireland on 13th October and 24th November and on 29 January in Northern Ireland in this pay dispute. See notes to editors for earlier GMB press releases on the pay dispute and the pay offer in England.

Denise Walker, GMB Regional Officer, said "For the NHS there has been no movement by the Minister or Department on dealing with the issue of pay for NHS workers in Northern Ireland - unlike the position in the other three nations.

There has been no attempt to resolve pay for 2014/15 and we are still waiting for the department to come back to the trades unions with their proposed framework within which they will discuss pay for 2015/16.

This is the reason GMB has now issued notice to the 5 NHS Trusts that our members will be taking part in action short of strike from 27th April for 2 weeks. GMB ambulance workers will commence 2 weeks overtime ban starting on 28th April.

The Society of Radiographers will be taking strike action on 30th April in line with the action to be taken by RCM announced on 20th April."

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Contact: Michael Mulholland on 07974 018 413 or Denise Walker 07808 101357 or Rehana Azam, GMB National Officer on 07841 181656 or GMB press office 07974 251 823 or 07921 289880

Notes to editors

1 Copy of GMB press release 28th January 2015

GMB Strike In NHS In Northern Ireland On 29th January After Health Dept Fails To Put New Pay Offer For NHS Staff In England On The Table

There is no confirmation that the pay offer for NHS staff in England will be applied in full as has been the practice for over 60 years says GMB

GMB members in the NHS and ambulance service in Northern Ireland will take strike action on Thursday 29th January after the Department of Health failed to put on the table the new pay offer for staff in the NHS in England. See notes to editors for copy of correspondence from Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and for GMB press release on new pay offer in England.

GMB members in the rest of the NHS will take strike action from 9am to 9pm and members in the ambulance service will take strike action between 12noon and 12 midnight on Thursday 29th January. Media are directed to picket lines outside Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast (Grosvenor Road entrance) and Belfast City Hospital Belfast (Lisburn Road entrance) Call GMB officers for other locations across the province for smaller pickets.

Michael Mulholland, GMB regional officer, said "The response from the Department puts us back to square one. On that basis GMB and Unite members will take strike action tomorrow.

There is no confirmation that the pay offer for NHS staff in England will be applied in full as has been the practice for over 60 years. Instead we are invited to make reference to it in the discussions we have been offered. There is also no pay offer on the table for 2014/15.

This is moving the goal posts and is totally unacceptable.

At this late stage GMB calls on the Minister Jim Wells to intervene as Northern Ireland is now the only part of the UK facing a damaging day of NHS strike action.

NHS workers are furious and the public will want to know why the Department of Health is not putting the offer in England on the table as they are expected to do. "

2 Copy of GMB press release dated 27th January.

GMB SUSPEND STRIKE ACTION IN NHS IN ENGLAND TO CONSULT MEMBERS ON NEW OFFER IN PAY DISPUTE

New offer enables suspension of strike action while we consult with members on whether they wish to accept the offer or not says GMB

GMB is to consult members in the NHS in England on a new offer that has emerged after a week of talks to resolve the pay dispute in the NHS.

The new offer has enabled GMB to suspend the 24 hour strike action by members in the ambulance service on 29th January as well as the 12 hour strike action by GMB members in the rest of the NHS on that date in England. GMB is seeking talks with Department of Health in Northern Ireland to get the new offer on the table there to enable union to suspend the action there on 29th Jan as well.

A national meeting of GMB NHS, Ambulance & Nursing Committee Senior Representatives will take place on Wednesday 4th February 2015. At the meeting full details of the offer will be set out and the timetable for a consultation will be agreed.

GMB members took part in the strike action in the NHS across England & Northern Ireland on 13th October and 24th November in the pay dispute.

Rehana Azam, GMB National Officer, said "GMB is pleased that after a week of talks we have secured a new offer. This enables us to suspend the strike action in England while we consult with our members on whether they wish to accept the offer or not

GMB has called on the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to put the new offer on the table there to enable us to suspend the action there on 29th Jan as well."