AROUND 1,400 staff who work for the Department of Health and the Department of Social Care will receive a one off payment after negotiations over pay.

Both department's say they have reached agreement over pay for the financial year which started on April 1, 2010.

They say the agreement with the MPTC (Manx Pay Terms and Conditions) and the NJC (National Joint Council) groups will affect 1,000 staff in the Department of Health and 400 in the Department of Social Care.

Staff whose contracted full time basic pay was less than £25,000 on April 1, 2010, will receive an unconsolidated non-pensionable one off payment of £350. This will reduce to £250 for staff whose pay was equal to £25,000 but less than £43,500. Any members of staff earning £43,500 or more will not receive a payment.

Health Minister David Anderson MHK said: "I would like to commend all concerned with the negotiations for meeting the challenge of balancing staff expectations with the pressures on government to control expenditure."

Social Care Minister Chris Robertshaw MHK added: "Staff were given the option of the one-off payment as agreed or a lower sum for all staff. Unite (Union) consulted its members and the majority chose the former option.

"I am pleased we have now reached agreement. I hope we are now able to progress negotiations for 2011/12."

Steve Salter, the regional industrial organiser for Unite the Union, said: "We all firmly believe that now the offer has been accepted future pay negotiations will not be as protracted. 

"The changes that we have agreed upon ensure that if agreements on pay in future cannot be settled through open dialogue between the unions and the employer we will now have as an option to revert the matter to independent arbitration through the Island's industrial relations officer. 

"I am sure that the employer will agree that negotiations have taken place in a robust but professional manner without the need to involve outside influences to effect the outcome. 

"We feel that we have managed to achieve a settlement that can be implemented without the added worry of jobs being cut to fund it which was a paramount concern for all the unions involved in these negotiations."

Staff who are eligible for the payment will receive it in January 2012.

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