Britain Offers Nurses A Raise

Britain on Thursday offered a pay increase of at least 10 percent to more than 1 million national health workers over three years.

The deal, which affects National Health Service nurses, therapists and support staff, will mean all staff get a 10 percent basic pay increase over three years and most can expect an average rise of around 12.5 percent in basic pay.

It is the result of three years of negotiations involving government health managers and 17 trade unions.

The powerful GMB general workers' union, which supports the country's firefighters in their continuing nationwide strike over pay, said the health workers' deal proved the government could afford to make double-digit pay settlements to public sector workers without harming the economy.

The government has refused the firefighters' demand for a 40 percent raise that would take their basic salary to 31,000 pounds (US$49,600). The government says a large pay raise could trigger similar demands from other public employees, and set off higher inflation.

Prime Minister Tony Blair's office said he would not draw conclusions from the health service pay deal in relation to firefighters' dispute, adding that the health service agreement followed years of negotiation.

Firefighters walked off the job Nov. 22 on an eight-day strike, and more strikes are planned. They have been offered 16 percent — but only 4 percent immediately. The rest would be in two further increases over the next two years, and had to be linked to modernization.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn, announcing the health service agreement, said it was "the most radical modernization of the NHS pay system since its foundation in 1948. It is a fair deal for NHS staff and a good deal for Britain's NHS."

The proposal will go out for wider consultation. If it is accepted, implementation could begin by spring 2003.

Under the agreement there would be an National Health Service minimum wage of 10,000 pounds per year (US$ 15,600).

Dr. Beverly Malone, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said she was disappointed in the short term with the proposed 3.2 percent pay rise next year.

"However, in the long term, if this package is acceptable to our membership, there could be significant benefits for nurses in terms of pay and career opportunities."

By Audrey Woods