GMB has long been committed to protecting workers’ pay and conditions. In 2018, GMB rejected a pay deal that would have forced staff from Agenda for Change Annex 5 onto Section 2. GMB opposed this change as it could forsee the ongoing issues that would arise from this change. Despite this it went through on the weight of other unions not opposing it. This shift has led to significant pay discrepancies across the trust and hindered many staff members’ career progression.
Recently, GMB collaborated with other health unions to secure a national agreement retaining Annex 5 for band-to-band transitions. However, some members felt this agreement fell short and left many out due to a lack of support from other health unions in advocating for their rights.
A significant number of GMB@EMAS members have expressed their disappointment with the implementation of Section 2 and the unfair treatment of some staff. In response, GMB@EMAS is now seeking members’ support to escalate this issue within the Trust.
We have identified three main categories of affected staff and urge all members in these categories to complete the following short form if they wish to take action:
- Staff who lost their Annex 5 through progression and are ineligible for the Band 2 Band Agreement due to already being in Band 6.
- Staff who are on Annex 5 but on a progression path (e.g., from Tech to Para) and will lose their Annex 5 upon reaching Band 6.
- Staff who lost their Annex 5 due to management restructuring and were forced onto Section 2.
Completing this form will enable GMB to take further action within EMAS to address your employment concerns. Submissions close 15 August 2024.