The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Hospital mediation thrown into chaos
UNION: Unite uncertain over taking part in crucial talks to achieve a resolution
Angry union chiefs have thrown Tayside’s strike-hit hospitals into more turmoil mere hours after an apparent breakthrough was announced.
In a move that could lead to weeks of further industrial action by porters at Ninewells and Royal Victoria, Unite is uncertain whether it will take part in vital mediation.
The union has questioned the impartiality of a review designed to investigate pay and conditions, despite its welcome by NHS Tayside and Scottish Health Minister Shona Robison.
At the heart of its objection is the presence of a representative of the Unison union on the review panel that will decide who is right as it has made clear its support for the health board.
NHS Tayside and Unite had jointly called for a review to be undertaken by the Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee (STAC) to establish whether or not hospital porters have been underpaid.
That issue has seen 117 staff involved in industrial action for almost nine weeks, with full strikes operating for the past month.
Both parties agreed that the STAC review was the correct way forward and NHS Tayside has welcomed the review as detailed, saying it will “provide the platform upon which the dispute can be resolved”.
Unite, however, believes the addition of a Unison representative on the panel goes against what had been jointly proposed – a two-person panel made up of representatives from the NHS and unions in Glasgow.
Regional organiser Colin Coupar said: “STAC only responded to the joint request from Unite and NHS Tayside yesterday and the process they have put forward is not what we asked for.
“I don’t want to get into a slagging match with Unis on but they have already taken a stance on this issue and cannot be impartial.
“To have a representative from the union involved is not acceptable.
“Only if STAC can accommodate the joint request is there scope to move forward.”
He also claimed that Unite was surprised to hear that the review process would begin next week, claiming he had no knowledge of a meeting referenced by the NHS.
Ms Robison defended her involvement in the strike, saying: “The dispute is between the employer and the employees, between NHS Tayside and the porters and Unite as their representative.
“What I needed to do and have been doing is working behind the scenes to try and get a process in place to get them round the table to find a solution.
“I’m optimistic we can now move forward, but there is going to still be compromise from both sides to get to a resolution that’s acceptable.”
I don’t want to get into a slagging match with Unison but they have already taken a stance on this issue and cannot be impartial. COLIN COUPAR