..to ask what Mumsnetters think of the withholding of a 1% pay increase to NHS workers who are due an 'increment'

[Nuffieldnurseshome]

Unsurprisingly , yes I am an NHS worker, a nurse. I feel incredibly angry that after two years of a pay freeze, NHS workers, who are predominantly females, many of which in part time employment, will not be getting any pay rise again this year.

Are we immune to inflation? Has the value of what we do gone down?

The government has totally shafted us in my opinion, the 'increments' are part and parcel of our t&c and are there to reflect the skills and experience you gain over a defined period in the job. The other option is to pay everyone the 'fair' or 'going rate' from day one which in my opinion is more than just over £21k for the people who will be keeping you alive if you are unfortunate to require such care.

How is it fair that the get can ride roughshod over its own workers contracts, giving what amount to preferential rates to some of it staff but not others??????

And before anyone says well NHS workers needs to bear the brunt of austerity just the same as everyone else, yes, I agree but we still need a living wage, and I for one have list money in increase dense contributions ( even tho nurses pension pot is not and never has been in a deficit), loss of clothing allowance and loss of mileage allowance ( I now pay the NHS to use my own vehicle to visit clients!)

Honestly, what do we all think of this?

[YouTheCat]

I think it's shit and the MPs shouldn't have awarded themselves an 11% pay increase (plus all those expenses) when there are decent working folk who can't afford day to day living expenses.

[ChestyNut]

Absolutely what you said!

[Tiredemma]

Im confused by it- if I am due my pay rise in July (ie go through my gateway) do I get this payrise or not?

[Nuffieldnurseshome]

Also where I work, most of the work is 'autonomous' ie we have to plan, undertake and review whAt we do without supervision or direct support. We work with the most vulnerable people you's can imagine ( mentally ill, living in the community) lots of complex issues including safeguarding, deliberate self harm etc.

The trusts latest money saving measure is that when one band '6' worker leaves the replacement will be employed at band 5. To save money. Ie Newley qualified/ novice rates. But the job won't have changed so what will happen? Either people just won't leave band six posts due to there being no other posts available ( not great on any level, morale, family friendly working, burnout etc etc) or the people recruited in will be novices who won't cope or perform well, Levine the service user in the .

[Nuffieldnurseshome]

No tiredemma, if you are due to get an increment this year you will not get an actual pay rise from the get. Whereas peers who have already reached top increment will get it. Decisive or what!?

[NecklessMumster]

It's awful, I'm in social work and we've been offered 1 .% after years of frozen wages and if anyone goes on about my gold plated pension I will scream

[fridayfreedom]

Totally agree! I have been at the top of my pay band for many years now so have had no pay rise for a few years. Even when we are given a pay rise it tends to be staged so actually works out at less than the % advertised.
I have to keep training and developing yet this is not reflected in my pay. My mileage has been cut so I am paying the nHS when I visit patients.
I regularly work overtime for no extra pay and no chance of taking time back.
I am often late to collect my own children when I am comforting patients or carers!
Increments are part of t&c not pay rises, they reflect increasing skills.
Due to changes in banding I have no chance of promotion unless I want to become a manager and not treat patients.
Grrr

[NecklessMumster]

It's awful, I'm in social work and we've been offered 1 .% after years of frozen wages and if anyone goes on about my gold plated pension I will scream

[TearyMess]

is this UK wide?

[KitKat1985]

I'm a nurse as well. Deeply pissed off by the whole thing. This will be the 4th year now I think that my pay hasn't risen with inflation. Yes I move up increment points as I gain experience, but that's because I have more responsibility than the junior nurses and am involved with training a lot of students and newly qualified nurses for example. And the MPs deciding they deserve 11% when I'm not even deemed worthy to be worth a 1% pay rise after 4 years (which is still below the inflation rate) is a real slap in the face.

[LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops]

It's life I'm afraid and same for millions in the private sector too.

[Tiredemma]

Seriously???

Is that just for this year? or an on-going freeze?

Im fucking incandescent with rage.

[Nuffieldnurseshome]

Friday, so much of what you have written also resonates with me.

I also work about 20% on top of what I am paid for.

Some days I am so burnt out by the wok I can barely care for my family ( emotionally speaking).

There is no gold plated pension, that is a total myth perpetuated by the get to enable them to get the public on side to shaft us further [ sad]

[Nuffieldnurseshome]

Lifeisbetter

It's simply not true re public sector.

My DP employs 50 others, they have had a pay rise every single year since the recession hit.

They also have bonus's, non contributory pension, many have medical insurance, staff perks etc, actual overtime paid at time and a half( I can only dream of these!!)

[Nomama]

I was going to say 'shut up, you'll wake up the private sector argument' - too late!

Lecturer here, no pay rise or increment for 5 years. I am substantially less well paid than I was in 2009. I am not sure many people who work outside the public sector realise just how squeezed the public purse is and how much lots of frontline workers are bearing the brunt of the economic recession.

[LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops]

Good for your husband's company Nuffield - doesn't mean all private sector companies are the same.

[Sallyingforth]

It's rotten OP.
And it's rotten for all the other workers who are getting less than inflation year after year in public and private sectors.
Some will blame those who got us into this mess and some will blame those trying to get us out of it. But both lots are getting a nice 11% so they are all happy :(

[Nuffieldnurseshome]

Lifeisbetter

But the question is, even if public sector is 'squeezed', does this mean you want underpaid, pissed of staff looking after you if you are ill or desperate, because this is what it's coming too. What doe we value most? What services do people, whether they work for the public or private sector actually want to see FAIRLY rewarded ( for selfish reasons if no other)

[VivaLeBeaver]

I think they'll repeat it forever I'm afraid.

Its shit, I'm mid point band six. I'm the most senior band six midwife in the hospital. I'll go through a gateway but no increment.

If it is a permanent thing then in five years time when I'm at the top of band six other longer qualified staff will be earning 5% more than me for the rest of their career. Ill never get to the actual top of band six if you see what I mean.

Even worse for someone just gone onto Band 6, they'll be on 10% less than someone who qualified ten years ago.

In the last six years I've learnt to cannulate, suture, hdu care, IV abx, loads of other stuff. Going through the gateways is aout rewarding you for extra experience and skills gained during that time.

They'd have been better off if they'd made the increments non automatic. So you had to prove you deserved it. It is annoying that some people who have no additional skills are at the top of the band. However that would need strict criteria so Trusts didnt abuse it just to get out of agreeing to increments. So open to abuse.

The way I see it the top of the band is your salary, you just don't get it for the first few years.

[VivaLeBeaver]

And people are leaving faster than we can recruit. Another two on our ward gave notice last week. They just don't want to do it anymore. I used to earn a lot more in the private sector and am tempted at times to go back.

[edamsavestheday]

Nuffield, sadly it's partly to do with the decline in union recognition and membership in the private sector. But the govt is good at distracting people by encouraging jealousy so we don't ask, hang on, why is this so shit?

Meanwhile the banker still get their ridiculy bonuses and executive pay carries we snowballing, out of any proportion to achievement or performance or value. Much less the wages of the people who do the actual work.

[Nuffieldnurseshome]

Viva, you shave put it really well. How can it be equitable for people with the same skills and experience ( or perhaps even one more skilled and experienced) to be less just cause the GVT has now decided to use this arbitrary system to cut the bill.

Personally, and I say this with a heavy heart, we need to look more at rationalising which services the NHS can offer rather than disincentive the employees of the system as a whole.

Or tax everyone more for the high standard of service we all expect, but still pay fairly those who actually bear the responsibility of delivering the service.

[AnnaLegovah]

In total agreement with sovery. I was also going to say 'dont wake up the private sector' but was too late.

Its disgusting and it sucks. I feel for you OP and the thousands like you.