London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

More NHS workers back strike action over pay dispute

More NHS workers back strike action over pay dispute

More NHS workers have backed strike action amid a pay dispute with the Scottish government.

About 2,500 members of the Unite union have rejected the latest pay offer and voted for industrial action.

A total of seven health boards will be affected, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The Scottish government has warned there is no more money to fund public sector pay rises.

Members of the GMB union and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have also backed strike action.

The Royal College of Nursing has rejected the pay deal on offer and is expected to announce the results of its strike ballot on Monday.

But Unison, Scotland's largest health union, has suspended its strike ballot of NHS staff and is consulting its members on a revised pay offer until 14 November.

Unite said the frontline staff covered by its strike mandate - backed by 74% of those taking part in the vote - included theatre assistants, laboratory workers and paramedics.

James O'Connell, the union's industrial officer, said: "Our members have made their anger clear by overwhelmingly rejecting this offer and are now willing to take strike action.

"John Swinney has recently said that the Scottish government have nowhere else to go to improve the pay offer.

"If that is John Swinney's position, then he needs to prepare for unprecedented strikes in the NHS."

Mr O'Connell urged the Scottish government to "look again at their sums".


The proposed Scottish government pay deal is for a flat rate increase per person, backdated to April.

Scottish ministers say the new offer means an average salary increase of 7% with the lowest paid gaining more than 11% and qualified nursing staff receiving up to 8.45%.

Seven regional and national health boards are affected by the Unite strike ballot result.

They are NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde; Scottish Ambulance Service; NHS Ayrshire & Arran; NHS Golden Jubilee; NHS Fife; NHS Highland; and NHS Tayside.

No more money


Finance Secretary John Swinney has said that although cash had been moved around in the health budget to give NHS staff a better offer, further pay uplifts would mean cuts elsewhere.

Mr Swinney announced £615m of spending cuts in his emergency budget review.

It came on top of £560m worth cuts to public services in September.

The Scottish government has said its improved pay deal means the lowest paid in the NHS would get an above-inflation 11% salary rise.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
×