by Kirstie Topp Local Democracy Reporter
Scotland’s biggest health union will hold socially distanced demonstrations across the country next week.
The demonstations will be hosted by UNISON on Tuesday, 18 August 2020, and act as the next stage in the union’s campaign for a pay rise for NHS staff, Pay Up Now.
The trade union is calling on The Scottish Government to reopen the NHS three year pay deal, and for ministers to sit down with the trade unions to discuss a pay rise for all NHS staff.
NHS staff have faced real term pay cuts over the last decade with significant extra costs over this pandemic including extra childcare costs, extra transport costs, extra costs because they have being isolating from family, or even extra laundry costs and buying personal PPE.
Chair of UNISON Scotland health committee, Tom Waterson, said: “The public support for our heroic NHS workers throughout this pandemic has been amazing. Thursday night clapping was hugely appreciated by health workers across the UK.
“However, the reality is that NHS workers have seen their pay eroded over the past decade and some NHS staff are amongst the lower paid in Scotland. So please continue your support for NHS workers. They deserve it.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency : funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector, and used by qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
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