RCM members in Scotland accept Government NHS pay offer
By RCM on 17 August 2018 RCM Scotland Pay and Agenda For Change Midwives Scotland
Midwives and maternity support worker members of the Royal College of Midwives in Scotland (RCM) accepted the negotiated proposals for NHS staff on the Agenda for Change staff pay.
In June the RCM in Scotland and the other Scottish health unions negotiated a three year pay package alongside reforms to AFC pay scales for NHS staff with the Scottish Government.
The RCM’s member elected Board then backed this pay deal and recommended that members in Scotland accepted it.
Today’s acceptance announcement follows a consultation with Scottish members of the RCM which closed at midnight on Tuesday.
A large majority (95%) of respondents voted to accept the negotiated set of proposals for staff in the NHS in Scotland.
The deal means that the value of the top pay point of Bands 1 to 8C will increase by 9% cumulatively over three years from 2018-19 to 2020-21. Additionally, existing pay bands will be restructured and the number of pay points in each will be reduced, meaning that staff currently below the top of their band will see quicker pay progression to the top.
Commenting on the result, Emma Currer, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Scotland Lead Negotiator, said: “The RCM is pleased that our members have accepted this pay offer. It means that midwives, maternity support workers and other hardworking NHS staff in Scotland can finally begin to recoup the losses they incurred after years of pay freezes, pay stagnation and uplifts well below inflation.
“This is something the RCM and other unions have been fighting for. This is a good deal and one that we believe is the best that can be achieved in the current economic climate.
“Reforms to AFC pay scales were also long overdue and going forward staff will now receive incremental rises more reflective of the pace of their development and level of practice required of them.
“This is not the end point but the beginning of the RCM and other health unions continuing to negotiate for the fair pay our NHS staff deserve.”
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Note to editors
The RCM is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences and online resources. For more information visit the RCM website at https://www.rcm.org.uk/.