Hospital bosses dismiss union’s ‘mean-spirited’ claims over bank holiday row (From York Press)

Hospital bosses dismiss union’s ‘mean-spirited’ claims over bank holiday row

10:18am Friday 1st June 2012 in News

YORK Hospital has defended its decision not to recognise Tuesday as a bank holiday after appearing on a “name and shame” list published by the UK’s biggest union.

The hospital featured on a list of 113 health trusts, along with Yorkshire Ambulance Service, which are not recognising the extra jubilee bank holiday and not offering staff payment or a day in lieu. Unite’s head of health, Rachael Maskell, accused the trusts of “flouting the spirit” of the jubilee and behaving in a “mean-spirited” fashion.

But hospital bosses hit back, saying all its workers have been given an extra day of annual leave to take when they choose.

A spokesman for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “It has been agreed that Tuesday, June 5, will be recognised as a normal working day, and any staff who wish to take the day off will need to apply for annual leave in the usual way, following their local department’s procedures.

“In recognition of this agreement, annual leave entitlement for this year has been increased by one day for every member of staff, and they may choose to take this day off at another time if they wish.”

Stephen Moir, deputy chief executive at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “All staff at Yorkshire Ambulance Service have been credited with an additional day’s annual leave to reflect the additional public holiday.”