Prospect, along with other civil service Unions has been calling upon the Scottish Government to take the step of authorising the basic payment for all workers covered by the policy as a way of reducing uncertainty and stress for members during the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown.

The payment will not be balloted on, and does not represent a final position on pay, but it gives certainty to our members that their wages won't be another thing the have to worry about in these trying times.

Whilst it is hoped that the payments can start to be made in May, there is still work to be completed by Scottish Government to ensure some employers who get a substantial proportion of their income from access payments (such as HES and NMS) have sufficient funds, for those members it's likely to be later than May. But Prospect is meeting weekly with officials to progress this matter.

Welcoming the statement from the Cabinet Secretary (which is set out below), National Secretary for Scotland, Richard Hardy said

"This is a really important step by the Scottish Government, accepting our arguments that pay should not be something else our members  worry about, whilst they try and keep themselves and their families safe, and in very many cases undertake their important work on behalf of the country"

"By implementing the basic award our members know they will see an increase in salaries this year, and can also see that negotiations are not yet finished. This shows the power of Unions acting for members" he concluded.

The full statement :-

"14 April 2020
Public Sector Pay Policy 2020-21
I refer to your letter of 26th March in which you ask about the possibility of applying the basic elements of the Public Sector Pay Policy for Staff Pay Remits 2020-21 across all public bodies, without the usual processes being followed.
I fully recognise the value of the work being carried out by public bodies and the importance of ensuring that pay awards are implemented on time. However I appreciate that key staff may not be available for various reasons over the next couple of months and that this would have an impact on pay negotiations and implementation.
In order to provide certainty to public sector workers and their families, I am content to agree to your proposal that all public bodies covered by the Public Sector Pay Policy for Staff Pay Remits 2020-21 can now look to implement the basic award elements of that policy as soon as is practicable. For the avoidance of doubt, the pay award should also include any progression increases where these are due. Given the other pressures and priorities that public bodies are dealing with at present, I would ask you to work with them to agree a date that is both timeous and reasonable in these difficult circumstances.
I am aware that several public bodies may not be in a position to commit to paying the award at an early stage, particularly those who rely for a significant portion of their funding on revenue streams that are being impacted by COVID-19. My officials and I are working to resolve this as a matter of urgency and I would ask for your support as we do so.
I note that discussions about the other pay issues you highlight in your letter will be picked up at a later date and I look forward to working with you on those."