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The GMB has released an FAQ sheet for the 2024/25 pay campaign, clarifying details about the delayed pay deal initially set for April 1, 2024. As the UK government has not yet released the award, the GMB continues advocating for better NHS and Ambulance Service pay, promising to update as more details become available.

GMB has written again to the Secretary of State to call for pay negotiations to speed up this year’s pay award which was due on the 1st April.

The GMB EMAS Executive team has been actively collaborating with EMAS to address issues identified in a leadership survey from December 2023. Major improvements include the refinement of the Attendance Policy and the development of a new process for handling work-related injuries, aiming to streamline reporting and enhance transparency. Additional efforts focus on leadership training, compassionate leadership, flexible working requests, and improving staff welfare and safety, with ongoing improvements in relief working and the implementation of the People Strategy.

The GMB continues to have a single membership fee for all full-time employed members, regardless of earnings. GMB’s membership fees have remained the same for the last 3 years to help support our members through the cost of living crisis. Last year GMB@EMAS went one step further to support our members on Bands 1, 2, 3 and the lower tier of Band 4 and launched a scheme for our members to reclaim the difference in fees compared to other trade unions fees within EMAS.

The GMB union has criticised the implementation of Section 2 of the Agenda for Change, which affects unsocial hours enhancements for ambulance service workers since 2018. Despite some concessions allowing workers to revert to previous terms, the union remains dissatisfied with the overall progress and insists on advocating for the reversal of these policies. Concerns include the negative impact on workforce morale, career advancement, and discriminatory practices. The GMB continues to campaign against forced transfers and seeks further action to address these issues.

The GMB submitted a pay claim to the UK’s Department of Health & Social Care seeking, among other requests, an urgent review to lower ambulance workers’ retirement age to 60. Insisting on parity with other emergency services, GMB highlighted the physical and mental toll leading to premature departure and skill loss. Other claims include a £1.50 per hour raise, restoring lost earnings, ensuring NHS wages never drop below the living wage, reversing unsocial hour changes, and addressing job evaluations and safe staffing.

GMB has cautioned against creating a separate pay spine for nurses, arguing it would be divisive amid staff shortages and low morale. They advocate for broader Agenda for Change reforms through the NHS Staff Council. Inadequate job evaluation and training access are additional concerns that could hinder career advancement and expose the NHS to equal pay claims.

Understand your rights to Trade Union representation within EMAS and when you might want to request TU representation.

Starting 6 April 2024, UK employees
can request flexible working from the
start of their employment. The new
rules, part of the Flexible Working
(Amendment) Regulations 2023,
reduce the response time from
employers to two months and permit
two requests per year, eliminating the
need for employees to justify their
requests.