Health minister Stephen Kinnock says the government “will consider very carefully” recommendations made by the Pay Review Body for NHS workers, but any deal must be based on the “very tight fiscal position”. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00This is a government that always wants to put more money into the pockets of working people.
00:04We settled with the junior doctors last year.
00:07As a result, we got them off the picket line, onto the front line,
00:11and we've seen a waiting list drop now for six months in a row.
00:16So there are real benefits in having a proper industrial relations strategy
00:22and grown-up relationships with our colleagues in the trade unions.
00:26We will consider very carefully the recommendations of the pay review body,
00:31and we will negotiate based on what those recommendations are,
00:35but also based on the very tight fiscal position that we're in.
00:38Salaries always have to come out of departmental budgets.
00:42That's how we set up our role as the employer.
00:47But, you know, first of all, I think it's really important that we look at the pay review body,
00:52assess its recommendations, and then negotiate.
00:57And I think we're really clear that, of course, nobody wants to see strike action.
01:01Everyone wants to see positive, constructive industrial relations,
01:06and that is what we as a Labour government will deliver.