Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Scotland have voted in favour of the NHS pay deal offered to NHS staff in the country.
The RCN has revealed that 77% said ‘yes’ to the deal, which will see NHS staff in Scotland receive a minimum 9% pay rise over the next three years.
Those earning less than £80,000 will receive the full 9%, while those earning more than £80,000 will receive a flat rise of £1,600 per year.
The RCN has said that pay will be backdated to 1 April ‘as soon as possible’.
In a move similar to that of the pay deal in England, pay bands will be restructured, with fewer pay points within each band.
Nurses in Scotland have already received a 3% increase in their July salaries. Some will now receive a further increase as a result of the pay band restructuring.
However, there are four areas of negotiation that have yet to be concluded, with the outcome expected by December. These four areas are sick leave, protection of earnings, application of time off in lieu, and the system of appraisal and increments. NHS Employers in Scotland have assured nurses that current sick pay arrangements will be retained.
The RCN have described the deal as a ‘step in the right direction’, but cautioned that there is still work to be done.
Associate director of RCN Scotland Norman Provan said: ‘In this uncertain economic climate, the deal agreed today provides stability and security to members for the next three years. It is by no means the end of our fight for fair pay but a platform to build upon in the future.’
The RCN vote follows that of Unite, whose members were also in favour of the deal, with 71% voting ‘yes’.
