Tower Hamlets GP Care Group refusing guarantees to fully align with NHS pay structures

Nearly 120 East London health visitors and support staff will take strike action over service restructuring after their employer failed to give guarantees it would fully align NHS Agenda for Change pay structures.

The workers have already forced Tower Hamlets GP Care Group (THGPCG) to scrap plans that included dangerous reductions in staffing levels for the borough’s zero to five years old health visiting services, which covers nearly 20,000 patients.

During consultations with Unite, however, THGPCG has failed to give commitments that all staff contracts will fully align with NHS Agenda for Change pay, terms and conditions.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “THGPCG’s refusal to commit to NHS Agenda for Change for all staff will leave workers on inferior pay, terms and conditions. The workers at THGPCG are receiving Unite’s 100 per cent support in taking strike action to stop this from happening.”

THGPCG is undertaking formal consultations for a full-service restructure. After protests by the workers in July, THGPCG rowed back on plans that would have resulted in redundancies and staff being reinterviewed for jobs they already hold. These plans would have resulted in unmanageable increases in workloads for remaining staff and put patients at risk.

However, THGPCG is refusing to commit to fully implementing NHS for Agenda for Change pay, terms and conditions for all staff. Unite is demanding that support staff, who are not on Agenda for Change contracts are brought onto them.

The dispute is also over the THGPCG’s failure to commit to reviewing health visitor roles under the NHS Agenda for Change job evaluation scheme, after the NHS Staff Council recognised health visitor pay banding is incorrect for many roles.

The workers will strike on 6, 7 and 8 October. Further industrial action will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved.

Unite regional officer Gary Boodhna said: “Our members, who are dedicated to providing the best possible care to thousands of young families in Tower Hamlets, are being forced to strike to prevent THGPCG turning them into second class employees. Strike action can still be halted but that will require THGPCG fully committing to Agenda for Change for all staff.”

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.