Crunch talks to end porters’ strike begin

nhs: Hopes meeting with union will break 15-week deadlock

Talks will begin today that could finally see porters return to work in Dundee’s hospitals after more than 15 weeks of industrial action.

It is hoped deadlock will be broken following the outcome of the Scottish Terms and Conditions (STAC) process which gave a ruling believed to have been broadly in favour of NHS Tayside.

Porters, supported by Unite union, insist they have been underpaid for many years, and may be owed as much as £6 million in back-pay and remain on strike indefinitely.

Representatives of Unite and NHS Tayside will finally meet today and tomorrow, with provision to meet on Thursday and Friday if necessary, in a bid to resolve the strike.

Colin Coupar, Unite regional organiser, described the developments as a “breakthrough”.

He said: “STAC has done what it was intended to do. It has brought the sides together, even though this is what Unite has been calling for and what should have happened months ago.

“The STAC report itself is not on the agenda, and I would be surprised if it were a conversation piece.

“Tomorrow we will have preliminary discussions. It is hoped to have a meaningful proposal to porters coming out of this process.”

Lesley McLay, chief executive of NHS Tayside, said: “Our priority is now to meet with our porters and Unite as soon as possible and work with them to agree a solution which will allow our portering staff to return to the workplace.

“I have contacted the Unite regional officer giving my commitment to resolve this dispute and asking that both organisations meet as early as possible to discuss the way forward.”