UNISON agrees to ballot NHS members on pensions offer 11/01/2012

Regional and national activists from UNISON's health group met in London this week, and voted to finalise negotiations with the NHS employers, on the outstanding issues in the Heads of Agreement.

Members will be fully consulted on the offer when talks conclude in the coming weeks. If talks should fail at any point, or if members vote to reject the offer, the union's ballot for industrial action - which remains live - means the option of strike action is still on the table.

Christina McAnea, UNISON Head of Health, said:

"This week our health activists met and voted to finalise negotiations with the employers on the outstanding issues in the Heads of Agreement. But if negotiations should break down at any point, or if our members vote to reject the offer, our live ballot means we can still take strike action.

"This decision is an important stepping stone to a final agreement. Talks will now enter a final stage, due to conclude in the next few weeks. We will then consult our health worker members in a ballot. Pensions are such an important issue to our members and their families, it is only right that they get the final say on their future."