Six health trust chief executives in Northern Ireland have written to the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris to highlight that health workers in the country are suffering from a “de facto pay freeze.” The executives acknowledge that the ongoing pay dispute has triggered industrial action in recent months, and they are requesting “concrete action” on suitable pay awards that reflect the hard work during the pandemic and severe pressures on services. Fifteen major trade unions are backing the campaign for pay parity with other parts of the UK. Health care staff in Northern Ireland received a below-inflation pay award for 2022-23. Meanwhile, NHS workers in England received a pay increase of 5% and a one-off payment of at least £1,655.
The letter from the chief executives emphasised their concerns that health workers in Northern Ireland have not received a pay uplift for 2023-24 and are the lowest paid in the UK. They called for additional funding to address the impact of the ongoing industrial action, which may impact heavily on an already fragile health care system. The executives voiced deep concerns over the impact that this could have on both patients and other service users. The letter ends by calling for direct political intervention to resolve the deadlock.
In response to the letter, unions representing workers have welcomed the direct intervention from the health chiefs, adding that it was “not before time that they accept their responsibilities” as employers of the 60,000 healthcare staff in Northern Ireland. The trade unions fully agree that the resolution of the dispute must not be subsidiary to any resolution of political stalemate, and investment and commitment must address it directly. The unions are determined to secure pay justice for their members.
Rita Devlin, NI director of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said it was “deeply unfair and shameful” that Northern Ireland healthcare staff are the lowest paid in the UK. She added that staff won pay parity in 2020, and political parties had assured them that it wouldn’t happen again. Devlin tweeted that “Our people deserve better.” The Northern Ireland Office has yet to respond to the executives’ letter
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