THE health secretary has been accused of getting his priorities wrong by putting off a crunch meeting to stave off a nurses and midwives strike to vote in favour of the controversial Scottish gender reforms to become law.
Humza Yousaf said on Wednesday afternoon that he would be meeting with trade unions yesterday in a bit to avoid industrial action that could take place as early as January, but put the meeting back to take part in Scottish Parliament debate on gender recognition reform.
It came as members of the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) voted “resoundingly” to reject what he says remains "the best and final offer".
But unions have been told that the meeting had to be put off to today because of Scottish parliamentary business.
He attended a debate that led to controversial gender reforms that would allow transgender people to self-identify being passed amid heated scenes at Holyrood.
Mr Yousaf was one of the 86 who voted in favour of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, with 39 against, while shouts of "shame on you" could be heard from the public gallery.
Sandesh Gulhane, Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for health and social care said: "Humza Yousaf should have been straight around the table with the RCN as soon as the pay deal was rejected on Wednesday.
“Averting a strike by nurses ought to have been his top priority, so it was galling to hear Nicola Sturgeon admit at FMQs that his talks with the union had been postponed by a day so that he could vote on the GRR Bill.
READ MORE: Nurses and midwives strike looms as they reject Scot Gov pay offer
“The SNP have been hell-bent on forcing this legislation through parliament at break-neck speed, and at all costs, before Christmas.
“The public – as well as nurses, who feel ignored and taken for granted by the health secretary – will be dismayed that this took precedence over resolving a potentially devastating dispute.”
One union official added: "There must have been a way to get to what is a crisis meeting while still registering a vote in Parliament. The issues at stake here are far too important."
A spokesman for Humza Yousaf said the Scottish Conservatives' criticism was "jaw-dropping hypocrisy". He said: "The Health Secretary would have met unions sooner had it not been for the Tories’ blatant delaying tactics on the gender reform legislation.
“But Mr Yousaf will be meeting health unions and continuing talks in a spirit of cooperation – in stark contrast to the Tories in England, whose refusal to engage in talks has led to NHS strike action.”
An RCN source said they were prepared to hear what Mr Yousaf had to say even though he had not indicated that there was any new money on the table.
"We are just waiting to see what he has to say," said the source. "We have made our position clear and we will wait to see what happens."
Two-thirds (65%) of RCM members and 82% from RCN rejected the offer in ballots.
RCN Scotland said it will continue planning for strike action and, early in the new year, will announce dates for strike action.
Mr Yousaf said after the vote : “While I am naturally disappointed the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Nursing have rejected this offer, I respect the voice of their membership.
"We have engaged tirelessly with trade union representatives over recent weeks and months, leaving no stone unturned to reach a record pay offer which responds to the key concerns of staff across the service.
“This best and final pay offer underlines our commitment to supporting our fantastic NHS staff."
The deal formed part of the NHS Scotland pay offer which would increase the NHS pay bill in Scotland by £515m and an average of 7.5%.
Increases would range from 11.24% for the lowest paid to 5.56%. Certain staff would get no more than the original 5% offer.
Members of three major NHS unions in Scotland, Unite, Unison and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have already voted to accept an improved pay offer.
But GMB voted to reject the deal.
The RCM said the deal offered "welcome improvement" for early career midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs), but did "little" to improve the take-home pay of the majority of RCM members in Scotland.
The RCM, who represent most midwives and maternity support workers in Scotland, had put any plans for industrial action on hold while considering the offer.
In October, maternity support worker (MSW) members of the RCM across Scotland overwhelmingly voted yes on taking industrial action, up to and including strike action, over the "insulting" original Scottish Government pay offer.
Jaki Lambert, RCM director for Scotland, said their members were prepared to take industrial action to get a "decent" deal.
The RCM hassaid that if industrial action takes place, NHS employers in Scotland will be given adequate notice of any type of industrial action.
The RCM said it and its workplace representatives will work with maternity service managers to ensure there is cover during any work stoppages across Scotland so that "safe care for mothers and babies is always prioritised".
Mr Yousaf said the offer would see Agenda for Change workers in Scotland receive pay rises ranging from £2,205 to £2,751, an average uplift of 7.5%, and up to an 11% increase for the lowest paid.
A newly qualified nurse and midwife would see a pay rise of 8.7%, and experienced nurses and midwives and would get uplifts of between £2,450 and £2,550."
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