New pay offer

From Nursing Times online

New pay offer made to nurses
2 August 2007
A new staged pay package has been offered to nurses and health service workers in England by the government after lengthy discussions.
The staged award of 1.5% from April and a further 1% in November remains – but, as predicted by NT, the government has offered other benefits to sweeten the deal.
In England, staff on Agenda for Change band five and above will receive £38 if they are required to register for practice. This will cover the £33 increase in this year’s NMC fee rise. The majority of the bonuses will focus on the lowest paid NHS staff.
From November, those on bands one and two will receive a £400 flat rate and those on bands three and four will receive an additional £38 as well as the 2.5% increase. This applies to all four countries.
There will also be additional staff training money for non-clinical staff in England. Unions, employers and the government have agreed to enter into talks over the Agenda for Change pay structure and its terms and conditions.
Mike Jackson, Unison’s senior national officer for health, said: ‘This will provide an opportunity for Unison to pursue long-standing policies such as a reduction in the working week and abolition of Band one.’
Unison will ballot members on the new proposals between 20 August and 13 September. A separate indicative ballot by the RCN on the old staged pay deal closes next week.