Unite calls for urgent response from Govt over healthcare claim, with plans for demo next week

Unite the Union has called for urgent action and responses from the Gibraltar Government to address issues of UK and GHA pay parity for the Allied Healthcare Professionals (AHP) employed in the health authority and Elderly Residential Services.

To underscore the strength of feeling over the claim, the Union and its affected healthcare members will demonstrate outside No.6 Convent Place next Thursday afternoon.

The affected professionals represented by Unite include Orthoptists, Dieticians, Speech and Language Therapists, Radiographers, Biomedical Scientists, Pharmacists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.

The claim submitted to the GHA and Government in June 2024 includes three key elements, namely pay parity with comparable roles in the UK; mechanisms to address pay inequality when compared to other clinical roles in the GHA; and a shorter pay scale to reflect the UK and facilitate quicker progression through the pay scales.

Unite said it had engaged with the GHA and the Government cooperatively and constructively, but the promised responses to the claim, which has been amended and adapted by the union through the negotiation process, “have not been forthcoming”.

“The union’s AHP shop stewards have diligently researched and constructed their claim to demonstrate the disparity in pay with comparable AHP roles in the UK and to highlight issues of pay inequality with other clinical roles in Gibraltar,” said Bochra Lasfar, Unite’s Regional Officer.

“The principles of pay parity with the UK are well founded and are a fundamental plank of public sector remuneration in Gibraltar, yet the AHPs continue to experience a demonstrable difference in pay when compared to the same professional grades in the NHS, this is even before the further analysis at GHA level.”

“The union, our shop stewards and members have patiently navigated the industrial relations framework to bring this claim to fruition, but a standstill has now been reached and that patience has worn thin.”

“The AHPs are highly skilled, vital workers who underpin core services in our health system.”

“By having wages that are less than their UK counterparts there is a direct impact on the ability to attract and retain high calibre professionals.”

“This often means that the employer is having to engage locum cover at significant extra costs which further highlights paying AHPs below UK parity is a false economy in terms of the financial and service consequences of such a pay and reward policy.”

“The union has sought to re-engage with the Government of Gibraltar, to encourage the sharing of recommendations that it is understood have been made to the ministry pertaining to the claim, as well as proposing potential interim solutions that will avert an escalation of any dispute. We currently await a response.”

“Notwithstanding this the union is calling a demonstration on Thursday 5th June of all AHP members in support of the claim.”

On Thursday, members will assemble at Unite Transport House for 5pm and will march to No.6 Convent Place, where a demonstration in support of the claim will be held.