9:30am Wednesday 3rd December 2008
By Mark Stead
HUNDREDS of health workers across York and North Yorkshire were today holding a day of protests after branding a new pay deal “derisory” – but patients will not be put at risk.
The Unite union has asked its members at hospitals and health centres to work to rule – including refusing to deal with non-essential paperwork and email exchanges, attend meetings or use their own mobile phones to make work-related calls – in anger at a three-year pay increase worth around eight per cent.
Its bosses are now demanding the Government reopens negotiations over NHS workers’ pay after “years of below-inflation wage rises”.
But North Yorkshire health bosses have assured the public that the day of industrial action will not affect frontline healthcare in the region and services will be running as normal during the dispute.
North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) said around 340 of its 5,000-strong workforce were members of Unite.
A spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the planned action and we are not expecting any disruption to services from this”.
Peta Hayward, director of human resources for York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The industrial action involves only a very small number of our staff and we do not anticipate patients will see any impact as a consequence.
“The trust is disappointed that these staff who are members of Unite now feel unable to accept the pay deal, as they have been receiving pay in line with the national agreement since June.”
Unite has vowed its protest will not hit emergency health cover.
The union’s joint leader, Derek Simpson, said: “I am pressing for an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
“I will raise the whole saga of the Government’s negative attitude to public sector pay with particular reference to our NHS members.”
If an agreement cannot be thrashed out, further waves of industrial action – including the possibility of health workers going on strike – may follow.
“Our members are struggling to keep up with the cost of living,” said Unite national officer David Fleming.
“This is the third year that our members have been forced to survive on below-inflation pay rises.
“If the Government can find billions of pounds to rescue irresponsible banks, it can find money to give hard-working NHS staff a fair rise.
“And any extra cash in pay packets will have the added benefit of pumping demand into local economies.
“We have a mandate for this action and ministers should hear that our members are very angry at these continued below-inflation pay awards – which are, in effect, pay cuts.”
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