Ambulance staff reject sick pay cuts

NHS Employers need to seriously consider the consequences of implementing cuts that could put the public at risk, unions have said. GMB, UNISON and Unite members working in England's ambulance services have voted to reject proposals to apply up to 25 per cent deductions to sick pay. The proposals were put forward in June, to bring sick pay for ambulance staff into line with changes introduced earlier this year for other health workers. Unions say ambulance staff should have a specially tailored scheme including an 'unsocial hours payment' (USH), noting these allowances make up between nine and 25 per cent of salaries for most 999 staff. Employers have proposed removing this USH payment when staff are absent through illness. The unions contend that ambulance staff are exposed to high levels of physical, mental and emotional risk, which makes them vulnerable to illness. With sickness levels consistently higher than the rest of the NHS, the unions say Ambulance Trusts could make more effective savings through addressing the causes of ill-health rather than looking to make staff pay for government cuts. GMB's Steve Rice said: 'No ambulance worker wants to take sickness leave. Job cuts in the service have required us all to do much more than previously and we don't want to let the public down or our ambulance colleagues. To then cut our sick pay and to penalise us because we take sick leave because of the work we do seems wrong and unfair.' UNISON's Christina McAnea, chair of the NHS Staff Council, said: 'The danger now is that employers impose these changes without agreement, which in our view would be unlawful and would force our members to act.' She added: 'The trade unions will hold an urgent meeting with employers to make sure that the dangers of imposing these changes are fully explored.'

GMB news release.