Update on Annex E Negotiations

As you know the ambulance trade unions have been negotiating with employers over proposed changes to unsocial hours and sick pay arrangements.

At a meeting on 4 April ambulance employers made a final offer on changes to Annex E. The offer proposed that deductions of unsocial hours pay during sickness absence would be limited to the first 28 days of each episode of sickness. Although the trade unions welcomed the protection this granted to members on long term sickness absence the proposal fell short of expectations.

The UNISON national ambulance committee met on 23 April to discuss the employers’ proposal and voted unanimously to reject the offer. The committee took this decision as they believed the offer fell short of what is acceptable to members due to the potential impact on earnings.

Following this decision, UNISON along with the other ambulance trade unions, notified the ambulance employers of their decision to reject the changes to Annex E. Despite previous concerns, UNISON has been informed that ambulance employers do not intend to impose deductions to sick pay

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In order to ensure commitment from all employers UNISON branches have written to ambulance chief executives seeking individual clarification on their position.