Resolved –

Council notes that:

• The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the tremendous work of council and NHS staff. They all deserve to be properly and fairly rewarded for their efforts.
• Airedale NHS Foundation Trust created a wholly-owned subsidiary, AGH Solutions (AGHS), in 2018. Workers who were transferred over from the Trust into AGHS in 2018 remain on the NHS “Agenda For Change” (AFC) contract, while many new starters and indeed all staff (including those who were TUPED) that register on Bank (i.e. overtime shifts), are paid on the lower AGHS rates, despite doing the same job:

• The GMB trade union entered into a formal dispute over pay, terms and conditions with AGHS in November 2020, after members repeatedly voted to reject the pay proposals submitted by AGHS, all of which have been significantly less than the NHS pay rates. Members are demanding that AGHS align all staff with the NHS AFC contract.

Council believes that:

• Equal work deserves equal pay.
• No one working in the NHS should receive less than the minimum pay, terms and conditions set out in the NHS AFC contract.
• The GMB demand for harmonisation is reasonable and fair.
  
  

Council resolves to:

• Publicly support the workers in their campaign at Airedale Hospital to achieve harmonisation between AGHS and NHS AFC pay, terms and conditions.
  
  
• Write to the board of directors of both AGHS and Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, informing them of our support for the staff in their campaign for equal pay and calling on them to agree to its reasonable and fair demands.
• Urge everyone to get round the table to talk to resolve this inequality.
• Refer the matter to Health & Social Care Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

ACTION:  Chief Executive (write to AGHS & Airedale NHS Foundation Trust) / City Solicitor (referral to Health & Social Care O&S Committee)