There is a significant development this evening in our pay dispute with the Government.

On Wednesday, 1st March, we announced a tightening of the derogations for cover on strike days. The following day, we received a letter from the Secretary of State for Health, Steve Barclay, inviting other unions and us to pay talks.

This is a huge shift from the Government, who for months have refused to consider negotiations on your pay. They have now said they are willing to sit down and negotiate.

Here’s what they have conceded to talk about – 

• A payment for 2022/23, with new money to pay for this and not from existing budgets 
• Negotiations on 2023/24 pay 
• Terms and conditions that unions have said are important to our members 
• Our view on future productivity 
• Negotiations to take place with all unions together, terminating the RCN’s separate talks 

Have no doubt – these are major concessions, and it is thanks to you.

If you took industrial action or gave support to colleagues out on strike, you have played your part in changing the Government’s mind on pay talks.

They wanted to hide from this issue and dug their heels in for 93 days. But they couldn’t ignore you.

We have clarified a number of issues that required explanation before we could agree to enter talks. GMB’s national representative committee has now recommended that we join with other health service unions in beginning negotiations.

Importantly, we have secured an extra three months to our existing strike mandates, so we retain our ability to take further industrial action in the event the talks do not succeed.

This means planned strike action for the week commencing Monday, 6th March is suspended.

If you require further information, please contact your local GMB Representative.

This is the start of the next phase of our campaign for GMB NHS and Ambulance workers and we will keep you updated as the talks progress.