The government and NHS employers are spinning this as a massive pay rise - having looked at the documents, I'm not so sure.
I'd implore all NHS workers affected to look at the details (on NHS Employers website) before deciding which way to vote. A lot of devil in the detail. A lot of questions still unanswered.
Firstly - the 6.5% over three years works out at 2.1% compounded per year - i.e. below inflation.
Secondly - the large % rises being quoted by the media for certain pay points completely ignore the fact that these staff would previously have had incremental pay rises anyway - e.g. a Band 5 nurse starting at 22128 would progress to 26970 under the new "pay deal" - stated to be a 21.88% rise over 3 years. But under the old increment system they'd have progressed with increased experience up to 25551 anyway. So the pay rise is actually only 5.55% (i.e. less than inflation).
Thirdly - the increments within bands will now require hoop-jumping, target-meeting. How challenging will this be?
Fourthly - the lower paid bands 1-3 are having a REDUCTION in their antisocial hours percentage pay premium which will claw back some of their rise.
(Not affected personally, but many people I know will be).