First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament am 5:08 pm ar 31 Hydref 2024.
I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests as a member of the GMB trade union.
In 2019, a job evaluation process for district nurses working for NHS Tayside resulted in their jobs being upgraded. Thus far, NHS Tayside has refused to honour that pay rise and pay the women what they are due. GMB Scotland has appealed to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to intervene, but he has refused, citing the fact that the job evaluation process is an independent process. He is right, of course, but that process is long since complete. The question now is whether the health board pays the workers the money that they are due. I ask the First Minister to take a personal interest in the matter to ensure that those workers at NHS Tayside, which serves his constituents, get the money that they deserve.
I understand all the issues that Mr Marra puts to me. The complication here is that there is a due process to be gone through, which involves the possibility of a tribunal. I understand that the issue is going to tribunal, which is a material part of the process of determining the issues. I know that that is cold comfort to anybody who is affected by the matter, but it is the process that we have to go through to determine on the issues. If there is anything further that can be added to that, I will consider whether there is a case for it.
That concludes First Minister’s question time.