The news comes after CSP members across England and Wales overwhelmingly voted to reject this year’s NHS pay award in our consultative surveys.
The consultations saw turnouts of over 50 per cent in England and over 60 per cent in Wales. Nearly 80 per cent of those voting in England said they were prepared to take industrial action, with 83 per cent in Wales.
An extraordinary meeting of the CSP Council agreed the CSP should move to an industrial action ballot and are recommending members vote in support of action. This follows on from the decision already taken to ballot in Scotland.
Alex Mackenzie, CSP chair of council said:
This award is simply not enough. It is less than half the current rate of inflation for most staff at a time when costs are still set to rise further.
At a time when recruitment and retention is so vital to the NHS, and physiotherapy services are so crucial to reducing waiting lists and delivering high quality services, we cannot afford to lose staff due to pay.
Considering industrial action is always a last resort for NHS staff who are dedicated to their patients, their colleagues and the services they provide. The CSP has never held an industrial action ballot for pay across England and Wales and such a decision is always taken with great reluctance.
However, CSP members have indicated that unless there is an improved pay award they will consider industrial action. Any action will of course ensure that critical to life services are maintained.
In light of this decision, we would urge the governments in England and Wales to open talks to discuss an improved award that could avoid a damaging dispute and offer all NHS workers the pay rise they need and deserve.
The CSP is working closely with other health unions as we take this dispute forward.
Action for Members in England and Wales
The CSP will now be finalising arrangements for the ballot which is likely to open in November.
Following the clear strength of feeling shown by members in the consultative ballot, we need an even higher proportion to have their say in the formal ballot. Recent trade union legislation requires not only more than 50 per cent of members to take part in a ballot but also that the proportion of those voting in favour of action is more than 40 per cent of all those eligible to vote.
To ensure we can meet the complex legal requirements and that all those eligible receive their ballot paper, we are asking members to ensure the following is up to date in their CSP website account:
- Contact details
- Employer
- Workplace
- Postal Address
Across the rest of the UK
- In Scotland the CSP is shortly opening an industrial ballot and members are asked to look out for their ballot papers, which should arrive by 7th October. Read everything you need to know about the Scotland ballot.
- There has been no award made yet in Northern Ireland due to the ongoing lack of an Executive. However, the CSP will begin a consultation process with members soon and further details will be made available.
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