UCATT NHS Pay Review Evidence

UCATT have submitted their evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body in preparation for next year's pay negotiations. UCATT are fighting to end the unfair pay banding of our members and for the extension of the National Recruitment and Retention Payments to be expanded to our building craft members.

A summary of the evidence:

·       Maximum NHS building craft worker pay is £4964 or 28.8% lower than the average building craft workers annual pay across all sectors.

·       The boom in the construction industry is set to continue meaning a need for 241,000 more construction workers by 2011.

·       Private construction pay agreements continue to increase above inflation in the competitive building labour market with the CIJC pay agreement increasing by 4.35% over this year and a guaranteed 6% increase this year.

·       The NHS building trades workforce is ageing, and many retirements are expected in the future.

·       Many of the terms and conditions that would make up for poorer pay in the NHS in the past are now diminishing and failing to lure young workers who are often attracted to the higher wages obtainable in the private sector.

·       Despite the similar economic issues around the construction craft industries and the other craft industries, NHS building craft workers do not receive the National RRP with their pay. This is inequitable, creates resentment amongst colleagues and leaves the NHS as an uncompetitive employer

·       The NHS has been unable to attract migrant labour to fill the skills shortage. This labour is likely to decrease over the coming years as new EU member states strengthen their economy, making the building labour market even tighter.

To download a full copy of our report please click here.