Ballot makes Government improve offer

The Government has tried to end the current dispute about this year’s staged pay award by making an offer that would see members on NHS bands five to eight receiving a 50 per cent contribution towards the cost of professional registration fees.

The offer was announced yesterday (Thursday 2 August 2007)  – four days before the end of the RCN’s indicative ballot for members employed by England’s NHS.

The offer is now with NHS unions for consideration and includes:

• a one-off payment of £38 to low-paid staff on bands three and four who earn between £14,453 and £19,730
• a 50 per cent contribution towards the cost of NMC registration for nurses on bands five to eight each year up until 2010
• an agreement that talks will be held to consider a possible multi-year deal to improve the pay structure, terms and conditions of Agenda for Change.

If accepted by the unions, staff would receive these new benefits in addition to the staged pay award of 1.9 per cent announced in March.

RCN Council, the RCN’s ruling body, will now consider the offer alongside the results of the indicative ballot that is due to close on Monday 6 August at 12pm. A consultation process will also be discussed.

The RCN has issued a media statement in response to the Government’s announcement. You can read this in the Media releases section of this site.

The full text of the Government's offer (PDF, 21.4Kb) is also available for you to download.