A large majority of SoR members in Scotland have decided to accept the latest pay offer, with 88% voting yes in the consultation survey.
Of the 961 respondents, only 12% voted no, following the Society’s recommendation that members accept the package. The final offer, issued by the Scottish government on 17 February, committed to provide an additional £568m for Agenda for Change (AfC) pay for the pay year 2023/24.
This would result in staff (up to and including Band 8a) receiving a consolidated pay rise of at least 6.5%, as well as an additional one-off, pro rata, non-consolidated payment of between £387 and £939.
Intense period of activity ahead
The SoR negotiators, who had unanimously agreed to recommend acceptance, said: “As a collective, staff-side negotiators felt that the Scottish government negotiated in good faith and were open, honest and willing to address staff-side negotiator concerns relating to recruitment, retention and appropriate reward.
"This is a one-year offer that takes us to 31 March 2024, giving a one-year period in which to address the priority issues for AfC review. We know that there will now be an intense period of activity to follow in order to address those areas of the AfC that are of such concern to us."
