Latest news with #payrise
The Independent
an hour ago
- Health
- The Independent
Fresh hospital strike threat in latest pay row
The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned the government about the potential for multiple groups of doctors to strike together later this year. The BMA announced an indicative ballot for hospital consultants and specialist, associate specialist, and specialty (SAS) doctors in England over a 4 per cent pay uplift. Doctors view the 4 per cent pay rise as an insult, stating it does not address historical pay freezes and is below inflation. Junior doctors are already being balloted for strike action, and senior doctors may now join them on picket lines. The BMA has called for negotiations with Health Secretary Wes Streeting, but states it has not received a repl y, leading to the ballot.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders salary: How much are dancers paid?
FOLLOWING years of controversy, the iconic Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders secured a historic pay rise in 2025. Netflix's America's Sweethearts revealed the world's wealthiest sports franchise paid their dedicated team of dancers inadequately, but thankfully they have secured a 400 per cent pay rise. 3 3 3 In June 2025, it was announced on Netflix docuseries America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders that the squad would receive a 400 per cent pay increase for the 2025 NFL season. This marks a significant shift from previous years, when their pay was widely criticized as inadequate given the demanding nature and visibility of their role. During the show's first series, Charlotte Jones — daughter of franchise owner Jerry Jones — admitted their was an issue with their pay, saying: "There's a lot of cynicism around pay for NFL cheerleaders — as it should be. They're not paid a lot." Previously, the squad was paid $400 per game — a figure that itself was the result of a 2019 settlement that doubled their earlier $200 per game rate. And now the Cowboys have reportedly multiplied the squad's pay by four, which would take it up to somewhere in the region of $1,600. When season two of America's Sweethearts dropped on June 18, 2025, one of the Cowboy's cheerleaders revealed that the franchise had finally addressed this issue. Megan McElaney said: "We ended up getting a 400 per cent increase, which is like, life-changing.' She said they would now earn around $75 per hour, compared to about $15 per hour from the previous season for most cheerleaders. And former Cowboys dancer Jada McLean added: "Happy isn't even the right word for it. "I think I was just ... a relief, like everything had paid off... Finally, we were done fighting." Former Cowboys cheerleader Jada reportedly earned between $15,000 and $22,000 annually during her time with the squad, a figure that includes game-day pay, rehearsals and paid appearances. She also told the New York Times that the new contract does not include health insurance. Cheerleaders typically spend 30 to 40 hours per week on training, performances, and preparations, and many still work additional jobs to make ends meet. The pay raise comes after years of internal discussions, media coverage, and legal action. In 2018, former cheerleader Erica Wilkins filed a lawsuit alleging unfair pay practices, claiming she earned about $7 an hour plus a flat $200 per game. The lawsuit was settled in 2019, doubling the per-game rate at the time. Although the Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise in the world, topping Forbes' sporting wealth list with a valuation of $10.1billion, their cheerleaders' pay has historically lagged behind the team's financial stature. The recent raise is seen by many as long-overdue, bringing the cheerleaders' pay more in line with the squad's prominence, commitment and workload.
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Tube drivers threaten to strike if £76,000 pay demand refused
London Underground drivers are threatening to go on strike if bosses refuse to pay them £76,000 a year. Shop stewards from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) are urging members to strike if Transport for London (TfL) does not hand them a 4.5 per cent pay rise. If granted, the inflation-busting increase would see Tube drivers' salaries reach £76,127 – more than twice the current average annual salary, which is just under £37,500 a year, according to Office for National Statistics data. Twice this sum would be £75,000 – itself not much more than Tube drivers' current pay of £72,849, which they receive for a 35-hour working week. London Underground drivers are already comfortably inside the top 10 per cent of all salaried employees in Britain. The Telegraph understands that TfL has offered Tube drivers a 2.8 per cent pay increase. But a union newsletter seen by The Telegraph said: 'We demand a pay rise that protects us from the real cost of living. As always, RMT bases our pay negotiations on the Retail Price Index – RPI.' Earning more than about £64,000 a year puts a person ahead of 90 per cent of other salary-earners, as opposed to those on hourly wages, according to the ONS. Keith Prince, the London Assembly Conservatives' transport spokesman, said: 'It's never enough – Khan and the Labour Government bunged billions at union barons without any strings attached, and for nothing. 'Now drivers are looking for a salary more than double what the average Brit earns. Perhaps those in the public sector would do well to remember that when people in the private sector want a pay rise, it's usually linked to performance rather than lack thereof.' Last year, Tube drivers' salaries broke £70,000 for the first time after Sir Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor and TfL chairman, bought off threats of strikes by promising drivers a four-day working week and a 4.6 per cent pay rise. In return for an extra day off, drivers will be asked to work the same 35 hours a week they do at present – while retaining their salaries and generous travel perks. Sir Sadiq has not been shy of giving money to the Tube unions. For 2023's annual pay increase, he handed them a 5 per cent pay rise, prompting accusations that the Mayor had found a 'magic money tree'. The RMT union de-affiliated from the Labour Party in 2004, but has consistently backed the party regardless. In the run-up to last year's general election the union issued a statement saying: 'We are not affiliated to any political party and will back Labour and socialist candidates.' Addressing the most recent strike threat, an RMT spokesman said: 'Most workers we represent across London Underground earn modest salaries and work around the clock to keep London moving. We are seeking an improved offer from the employer.' A TfL spokesman said: 'Pay discussions have begun with all of our recognised trade unions on London Underground. We look forward to reaching a fair and affordable agreement for our colleagues. 'We would urge RMT to engage with us in our established processes to reach an agreement that would benefit our colleagues, their members and London as a whole.' A two-year strike campaign by main line train drivers came to an end last year when the Labour Government handed them a 15 per cent pay rise.
The Guardian
6 hours ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Overseas-trained doctors ‘put off UK due to cost of living and low salaries'
Doctors are choosing not to come and work in the UK because they are put off by low salaries, the high cost of living and poor quality of life. Research by the General Medical Council (GMC) shows that doctors who shun the UK are opting to move instead to the United States, Australia and Canada to earn more and have a better life. Overall, 84% of doctors trained abroad surveyed by the GMC said that other countries were better than Britain at paying good salaries and only 5% felt the opposite was true. The UK was also seen as being very poor for the cost of living and quality of life, attracting scores of minus 44 and minus 43. Among doctors considering where to further their careers, the UK scored worse than competitor countries on 14 of the 15 issues the GMC asked them about. It also recorded negative ratings for being an advanced healthcare system (minus 26), doctors being treated with respect by patients and the public (minus 20), quality of patient care (minus 17) and having enough appropriately qualified staff (minus 17). The gloomy findings for the UK came as resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors – in England were voting on whether to launch a renewed six-month campaign of strikes in pursuit of the 29% pay rise their union, the British Medical Association (BMA), claims they deserve. Consultant doctors will also take part in an indicative ballot to assess their willingness to stage walkouts over pay. Charlie Massey, the GMC's chief executive, said its findings were worrying and should spur the NHS to do more to welcome overseas-trained doctors and improve their working conditions, in order to avoid the shortages of medics which many hospitals and GP practices face. 'This research showed that issues of concern to doctors who are considering a move to the UK reflect much of what we hear from doctors who are working here now,' he said. 'It is concerning, as these factors impact on retention as well as recruitment. The UK is envied for the way it trains doctors, but there is room for improvement and we shouldn't assume that will always continue.' The NHS in England has recruited even larger numbers of doctors from elsewhere in recent years than usual. Last year 36% of all doctors there were non-UK nationals, up from 26.6% in 2016. The GMC, which regulates the medical profession in the UK, found that the UK scored highly among doctors from abroad because they find it easy to register to practise, navigate the immigration system and find a job compared with other places. Its findings are based on an online survey of 3,092 doctors in other countries. Of those, 2,556 came to the UK and joined the GMC's medical register and 536 opted to move elsewhere. The research, which probed what motivates doctors to choose which country to move to, found that some foreign doctors got disillusioned and quit the UK soon after moving there. 'Among doctors who have recently practised in the UK (since 2021) but have since left, many left sooner than they had intended to. Half of these doctors ended up practising in the UK for less than a year, when only 15% had this intention,' it said. 'Those who had left were disappointed with the UK in terms of colleagues and the friendliness of staff, adhering to different guidelines and standards, the bureaucracy and work culture/ethics.' Dr Latifa Patel, the BMA's workforce lead, said: 'The NHS is faced with a bizarre double-whammy of international medical graduates not wanting to work here due to low salaries, high cost of living, and poor quality of life, meanwhile UK trained doctors working in the NHS are feeling forced out the door to find roles in other countries where both their pay and quality of life are better.' Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has criticised the NHS for being too reliant on foreign doctors, nurses and midwives, and not hiring enough homegrown health professionals. He recently castigated as 'immoral' NHS recruitment of staff from World Health Organization-designated 'red list' countries, which are poor and have less developed health systems.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Tube drivers threatening to strike if 'bosses refuse to pay them £76,000 a year'
London Underground drivers are threatening to go on strike if 'bosses refuse to pay them £76,000 a year'. The RMT trade union is allegedly urging members to take action if Transport for London (TfL) does not offer them a pay rise of 4.5 per cent. If accepted, salaries for drivers would raise to £76,127, more than twice the average annual salary. Currently, most tube drivers make around £72,000 a year, which is already close to double the average salary of £37,500, according to the Office for National Statistics. TfL has reportedly offered Tube drivers a 2.8 per cent pay rise. In a letter seen by The Telegraph, the union has called for a pay rise that 'protects members from the real cost of living '. Keith Prince, the London Assembly transport spokesman said: 'It's never enough - Khan and the Labour government bunged billions at union barons without any strings attached, and for nothing. 'Now drivers are looking for a salary more than double what the average Brit earns.' Last year Sir Sadiq Khan warded off the threat of strikes by promising train drivers a four-day working week and a 4.6 per cent pay rise. Workers would do a regular 34-hour week across four days, including a 30-minute paid break, instead of 38.5 hours. Drivers would only work a fifth day of the week once every three months, to account for some of the time being trimmed. However, this work would be training rather than operating trains. The ASLEF union accepted the new terms in a vote, but the RMT union is still yet to agree. Aslef announced in April that 70 per cent of members had voted to endorse the new terms in a ballot, with 80 per cent turnout. Finn Brennan, Aslef's full-time organiser on London Underground, said: 'Despite a campaign of disinformation and distortion by those who want to prevent drivers having improved working conditions and a better work-life balance, our members have voted in favour of the proposal by 70 per cent on an 80 per cent turnout in an independently audited referendum. 'As a majority of members have voted in favour of the proposal, we will now be writing to the company to inform them of the result and to arrange a meeting to start detailed discussions on implementation.' Currently drivers take unpaid breaks within their hours, and 'bank' one hour a week that is given back as time in lieu later. Supporters of the new arrangement say it is hard for TfL to dictate how long unpaid breaks should last. A TfL spokesperson said: 'We look forward to reaching a fair and affordable agreement for our colleagues.' The RMT union has been contacted for comment.
