The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has suspended the current industrial action ballot of its NHS members in Scotland in order to consult on the revised pay offer of an average increase of 7.5% received today following intense negotiations this week.
Talks have been taking place with unions, including the BDA, since the original offer in June and a further offer in October were rejected, leading to industrial action ballots. Our members understand that strike action is always a last resort and the decision to move to a ballot was not taken lightly. However, pay in the NHS has been falling behind inflation for the last 12 years leaving our members in serious financial difficulty especially at a time when we are all facing the cost-of-living crisis.
Annette Mansell-Green, Director of Trade Union at the BDA said:
"We have been calling for a significant pay increase to address the serious recruitment and retention emergency in the NHS. When dietitians along with other NHS staff worked to keep us safe during the pandemic putting their own lives on the line, they appreciated the claps and the rainbow pictures as a sign of gratitude from the public, but this does not pay the heating bill, put food on the table or pay for their children’s shoes. The stark reality of this situation and the feeling of being underappreciated and undervalued by successive governments led to our members’ willingness to move to a ballot for industrial action.
"The new offer, which would give our members an average of 7.5% pay increase, is a step in the right direction for pay restoration and shows what can be achieved by the unions working together alongside members using their collective voice to demonstrate to the government that enough is enough."
We will now be consulting our members on the revised offer as it will be their decision on whether they are prepared to accept. Following the conclusion of our consultation, the BDA Trade Union will consider the appropriate next steps.
We look forward to reaching a settlement that will benefit our members and the future resilience of the NHS in Scotland.
Please contact Annette Mansell-Green, BDA Director of Trade Union on [email protected] or 07825 550655.
