Strike action escalated by NHS porters

NHS Tayside porters have begun a continuous strike as their pay dispute entered a sixth week. Almost 120 staff stopped working at 6am yesterday until further notice, with only 20 porters who are not taking part in the walkout remaining on site.

NHSTAYSIDE porters began a continuous strike yesterday as a pay dispute entered its sixth week of industrial action.

Close to 120 staff stopped work at 6am until further notice, leaving just 20 porters not taking part in the walkout and more than 200 NHS volunteers to pick up the pieces.

A series of “limited hours” strikes have already taken place yet there is still no resolution to the back-pay dispute in sight.

NHS Tayside and Unite officials are in deadlock over the existence of an agreement the health board claims was signed by union members years ago to dictate porters’ pay.

Health board officials say the document has been shown to Unite, while the union alleges such a document does not exist.

Unite senior industrial officer in Dundee Colin Coupar, who is leading the strikers, claimed the ongoing debate was a “farce”.

He said: “If NHS Tayside could produce the documentation that shows the unions agreed to this pay plan that would put an end to the strike right now.

“We believe no such evidence exists — otherwise Unite would have copies, other unions would have copies, and it would never have got to this stage.

“If they do produce paperwork at this stage, after nine months of dispute and a month of industrial action, I’d want an NHS Tayside executive’s head on a plate for allowing such a ridiculous stand-off to take place.”

Concerns have been raised by the union about the staff drafted in as all porters must pass an NHS check in order to work with vulnerable adults and children, and Mr Coupar said some may not have done so.

An NHS Tayside spokesperson said the “detailed plans” in place during previous 24-hour stoppages had been reviewed.

They added: “These plans had ensured that all those tasks which were not being covered by portering staff such as laundry delivery and collection, handling some blood products and specimens and delivery and collection of surgical and medical instruments, as well as patient movement, were carried out by staff helpers.

“Staff helpers are NHSTayside employees and, as such, in discharging their duties, are subject to appropriate risk assessment in line with local and national guidelines.

“It is incorrect to state that NHS Tayside has not provided evidence of trade union agreement to the Agenda for Change grading process. It is concerning and disappointing that Unite continue to claim no knowledge of this process.” sdinnie@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: Kris Miller. Porters and Unite union members protest at Ninewells Hospital yesterday.