Latest news with #payoffer
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Nurses set to turn down new pay deal
Nursing staff in England are widely expected to reject a 3.6 per cent pay offer, which the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has labelled "grotesque" and insufficient due to inflation. GMB health workers, including ambulance crews, have already rejected a similar government pay deal, with 67 per cent voting against the 3.6 per cent offer for 2025/26. Unions highlight that the proposed pay rise falls short compared to increases received by doctors, teachers, prison officers, and the armed forces. Analysis by the RCN indicates that nurses' pay is £8,000 lower than if it had kept pace with inflation since 2010, severely eroding wages, particularly for junior staff. GMB has requested an urgent meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting to discuss pay, while any decision on potential strike action by nurses would be made later in the year.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Nurses union expected to reject pay deal amid strike vote
Nursing staff in England are widely expected to overwhelmingly reject a 3.6 per cent pay offer, with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) having previously branded the proposed increase "grotesque". The RCN, which has been balloting its members on the prospective pay rise accepted by the Government in May, has argued the award would be "entirely swallowed up by inflation". This sentiment is echoed in BBC reports suggesting a firm rejection by nursing staff. The union highlighted that the offer falls short compared to increases received by doctors, teachers, prison officers, and the armed forces. While GMB health workers, including ambulance crews, recently rejected a similar government pay deal, any decision on potential strike action by nurses would not be made until later in the year, the public broadcaster added. The union said its members voted by 67 per cent against the 3.6 per cent pay award offered for 2025/26 in England. GMB has written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling for an urgent meeting to discuss pay and other issues of importance to its members working across the NHS and ambulance services. Rachel Harrison, GMB national secretary, said: 'We await his reply with interest.' The GMB represents about 50,000 health workers, including 20,000 in the ambulance service. The announcement was made on the first day of a five-day strike by resident doctors, also over pay. Analysis from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found nurses' pay is £8,000 lower than if wages had kept pace with inflation since 2010. Their study showed that nurses' pay has been 'severely eroded' over the past years, especially for junior staff. The RCN said addressing 'collapsing' wages for those at the start of their careers must be a priority for the government to boost recruitment and deliver its 10-Year Health Plan. Executive director for RCN England, Patricia Marquis, said nursing staff are 'tired of playing constant financial catch-up, often struggling to pay rent or get on the housing ladder'.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Secondary teachers union rejects one of lowest pay offers ever
Photo: 123RF The secondary teachers union has rejected a pay offer of 1 percent a year for three years. RNZ understands it is one of the lowest offers ever made to secondary teachers. The offer to members of the Post Primary Teachers Association amounts to a three percent pay rise over three years. That is well below the 14.5 percent over three years won through arbitration in 2023 and the average 10 percent over three years the union's members grudgingly accepted in 2019. Both of those settlements also included lump sum payments. The government's offer this year also sought to increase the number of days outside term time that schools can require teachers to come to work from 10 to 20 each year. The Public Service Commissioner, Sir Brian Roche, was overseeing this year's negotiations. In May he announced he would retain the responsibility usually delegated to the Education Ministry. "My rationale for this decision is influenced by the wider objective of overseeing collective bargaining and managing fiscal pressures across the public sector," he said at the time. Sir Brian was disappointed the PPTA had rejected the pay offer and urged the union to reconsider. He said the offer was carefully crafted to recognise the contribution teachers make while ensuring it was affordable for taxpayers in a difficult economic times. "The offer on the table represented a 3 percent increase over three years, on top of annual pay progression of between 4.5 percent and 7.5 percent," he said. "For many secondary teachers, this equates to pay increases between $3100 and $8000 a year, with regular annual progression included. Over three years the offer provides increases of between $1850 to $3123, or between $7275 and $15250 with annual pay progression. "The economic environment and the government's fiscal position are very difficult. Every additional dollar spent must be weighed against what is sustainable and fair to all New Zealanders. "I am open to continued dialogue and am committed to reaching a settlement that supports teachers, students, and our public school system." Post Primary Teachers Association President Chris Abercrombie, told Morning Report , he believed teachers deserved an agreement that reflected their skills. "We've got immense change in our sector right now and we need a qualified suitable workforce to implement that change." Abercrombie said it had been 30 years since they had seen this happen. Education Minister Erica Stanford said she was disappointed the offer was not put to members. Education Minister Erica Stanford on a school visit in May. Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown "I was surprised that the offer wasn't put to their members. That was disappointing ... it wasn't unexpected because they don't often make that first offer available to their members. I thought it was a reasonable offer. It should have been put to the members, and it was disappointing that it wasn't." She said it was not unusual for the Public Service Commissioner to be involved in negotiations, and entirely appropriate. "The education team at the moment, as you know, are undertaking an enormous reform package that is bigger than anything we've seen in a long time, and we are focused on that, and having the Public Service Commissioner do the bargaining means that we are free to continue to undertake our huge reform package, and he's the right man for the job. "It was just a discussion that we all had: who is best for doing the job, given the amount of work we've got underway at the moment." She said provisional figures showed the largest increase in teacher numbers in 20 years. "We've had 27 percent increase in those who are training at initial teacher education this year, last year, it was 6 percent ... we are world leading in our reforms and if you take a look at the numbers in terms of retention it shows you that yes some people are moving to Australia but not on the numbers that people are saying." The Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI) started negotiation of the primary teachers collective agreement last month. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Secondary teachers union rejects one of lowest pay offer ever
Photo: 123RF The secondary teachers union has rejected a pay offer of 1 percent a year for three years. RNZ understands it is one of the lowest offers ever made to secondary teachers. The offer to members of the Post Primary Teachers Association amounts to a three percent pay rise over three years. That is well below the 14.5 percent over three years won through arbitration in 2023 and the average 10 percent over three years the union's members grudgingly accepted in 2019. Both of those settlements also included lump sum payments. The government's offer this year also sought to increase the number of days outside term time that schools can require teachers to come to work from 10 to 20 each year. The Public Service Commissioner, Sir Brian Roche, was overseeing this year's negotiations. In May he announced he would retain the responsibility usually delegated to the Education Ministry. "My rationale for this decision is influenced by the wider objective of overseeing collective bargaining and managing fiscal pressures across the public sector," he said at the time. Sir Brian was disappointed the PPTA had rejected the pay offer and urged the union to reconsider. He said the offer was carefully crafted to recognise the contribution teachers make while ensuring it was affordable for taxpayers in a difficult economic times. "The offer on the table represented a 3 percent increase over three years, on top of annual pay progression of between 4.5 percent and 7.5 percent," he said. "For many secondary teachers, this equates to pay increases between $3100 and $8000 a year, with regular annual progression included. Over three years the offer provides increases of between $1850 to $3123, or between $7275 and $15250 with annual pay progression. "The economic environment and the government's fiscal position are very difficult. Every additional dollar spent must be weighed against what is sustainable and fair to all New Zealanders. "I am open to continued dialogue and am committed to reaching a settlement that supports teachers, students, and our public school system." Post Primary Teachers Association President Chris Abercrombie, told Morning Report , he believed teachers deserved an agreement that reflected their skills. "We've got immense change in our sector right now and we need a qualified suitable workforce to implement that change." Abercrombie said it had been 30 years since they had seen this happen. Education Minister Erica Stanford said she was disappointed the offer was not put to members. Education Minister Erica Stanford on a school visit in May. Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown "I was surprised that the offer wasn't put to their members. That was disappointing ... it wasn't unexpected because they don't often make that first offer available to their members. I thought it was a reasonable offer. It should have been put to the members, and it was disappointing that it wasn't." She said it was not unusual for the Public Service Commissioner to be involved in negotiations, and entirely appropriate. "The education team at the moment, as you know, are undertaking an enormous reform package that is bigger than anything we've seen in a long time, and we are focused on that, and having the Public Service Commissioner do the bargaining means that we are free to continue to undertake our huge reform package, and he's the right man for the job. "It was just a discussion that we all had: who is best for doing the job, given the amount of work we've got underway at the moment." She said provisional figures showed the largest increase in teacher numbers in 20 years. "We've had 27 percent increase in those who are training at initial teacher education this year, last year, it was 6 percent ... we are world leading in our reforms and if you take a look at the numbers in terms of retention it shows you that yes some people are moving to Australia but not on the numbers that people are saying." The Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI) started negotiation of the primary teachers collective agreement last month. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Secondary teachers union rejects lowest pay offer ever
Photo: 123RF The secondary teachers union has rejected a pay offer of one percent a year for three years. RNZ understands it is one of the lowest offers ever made to secondary teachers. The offer to members of the Post Primary Teachers Association amounts to a three percent pay rise over three years. That is well below the 14.5 percent over three years won through arbitration in 2023 and the average 10 percent over three years the union's members grudgingly accepted in 2019. Both of those settlements also included lump sum payments. The government's offer this year also sought to increase the number of days outside term time that schools can require teachers to come to work from 10 to 20 each year. The Public Service Commissioner, Sir Brian Roche, was overseeing this year's negotiations. In May he announced he would retain the responsibility usually delegated to the Education Ministry. "My rationale for this decision is influenced by the wider objective of overseeing collective bargaining and managing fiscal pressures across the public sector," he said at the time. Sir Brian was disappointed the PPTA had rejected the pay offer and urged the union to reconsider. He said the offer was carefully crafted to recognise the contribution teachers make while ensuring it was affordable for taxpayers in a difficult economic times. "The offer on the table represented a 3 percent increase over three years, on top of annual pay progression of between 4.5 percent and 7.5 percent," he said. "For many secondary teachers, this equates to pay increases between $3100 and $8000 a year, with regular annual progression included. Over three years the offer provides increases of between $1850 to $3123, or between $7275 and $15250 with annual pay progression. "The economic environment and the government's fiscal position are very difficult. Every additional dollar spent must be weighed against what is sustainable and fair to all New Zealanders. "I am open to continued dialogue and am committed to reaching a settlement that supports teachers, students, and our public school system." The Educational Institute Te Riu Roa (NZEI) started negotiation of the primary teachers collective agreement last month.
