An above inflation pay offer which meets the RCM’s pay claim has been announced for midwives and maternity care assistants (MCAs) working in the NHS in Scotland
The RCM, together with other Scottish trade unions, has negotiated a two-year pay offer with the Scottish Government which crucially contains inflation protection.
The offer equates to an uplift of 4.25% for all NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) staff in 2025-26 and 3.75% for 2026/27.
This is a cumulative uplift of just over 8.1%.
The RCM and The Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee (STAC) have ensured the offer is protected from any rises in inflation by securing commitment that each year of the pay deal will be one percentage point higher than the average CPI inflation rate of that year.
Welcoming the announcement, the RCM says it’s pleased to have secured an above-inflation offer with built-in protection for year two. However, the College has said it’s ultimately its members to accept or reject.
Commenting, the RCM’s Director for Scotland, Jaki Lambert said:
“So much hard work and negotiation has gone on behind the scenes by the RCM’s National Officer Emma Currer to ensure the best available deal for our hardworking midwives and MCAs in Scotland was secured. To have an offer on the table to put to our members the first week in April is really positive. The inflation protection element of this offer is important, particularly as this is a two-year deal. We know that the rising cost of living continues to impact our members, and should inflation increase further over the next two years our members will have a pay deal that is inflation proof, should they choose to accept it. The next step will be for the RCM to consult with our members in Scotland.”
The pay offer for 2026-27 is calculated on the full, in-year benefit of the reduced working week (36-hour standard working week) for all staff covered by the AfC agreement which the RCM says will be beneficial for staff working on an hourly rate basis. The 2025-26 offer will be calculated on a 37-hour working week.
Jaki added:
“Although we have a mandate to negotiate pay and terms and conditions on behalf of our members in Scotland, the decision on whether to accept or reject this pay offer lies with our members. We will always be guided by our members’ voices, so we are urging them all to take the time to respond to our consultation once is launched.”
For more information on what the pay offer will mean to members, plus more details are available on the Scotland Pay Hub here.
The RCM says all eligible members in Scotland will receive a direct link to its pay offer consultation next Wednesday 16 April via email and it is encouraging members to ensure their workplace details are up-to-date, so they don’t miss out on their chance to have their say. RCM members can update their contact details here
