MORE health workers warned today that they could strike over pay, amid growing anger among NHS staff over the system for setting wage increases.

Unison said its members in England's NHS were far from happy with this year’s 3.6 per cent pay offer and warned that many were prepared to take strike action to challenge it.

The union announced that seven in 10 of its members who responded to a consultation on the 2025-26 pay award said they would back walkouts if the union balloted them on whether to take industrial action.

Unison said the result should be a wake-up call for ministers. The union pushed for urgent talks to address problems with the “outdated” NHS salary structure, with these talks being combined with negotiations on next year’s wage rise.

The 3.6 per cent pay award barely matches inflation and has done nothing to lift staff morale, the government was warned.

Ministers were accused of “hiding” behind the NHS pay review body, which unions have criticised.

Unison said NHS workers were struggling to understand why the pay review body process has decided that they are worth less than other public servants such as teachers, police officers and doctors, especially when there are serious staffing problems across the health service.

Unison head of health Helga Pile said: “This result must act as a wake-up call for ministers.

“Health workers never want to strike, but the outcome of the consultation shows the seriousness of the situation.

“Staff know plans to transform the NHS won’t come to anything without them.

“But the realisation that the government intends to continue using the discredited pay review body system has made them very cross.

“This is because the pay review body process repeatedly awards some health workers lower rises than other groups.

“Ministers spinning the 3.6 per cent increase as above inflation is only making matters worse.

“This groundswell of discontent will only grow if it’s not tackled head on, putting paid to any hope of the NHS recovery everyone wants to see.

“Staff are key to getting the NHS back on its feet. Ministers must show they value the workforce by starting grown-up talks with unions now.

“These are essential if the pay and working conditions that are holding the NHS back are to be addressed.”