Ninewells cleaning staff walkout looms after vote

DISPUTE: Workers back industrial action over claims of management bullying

Hundreds of domestic staff and porters could stage strike action at Ninewells as a bullying storm threatens the hospital’s operation.

Local councillors have voiced grave concerns after it was confirmed the NHS Tayside hospital is facing another mass walkout hot on the heels of last year’s porters’ strike.

Domestic staff have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the fresh action after growing fed up of “bullying tactics” deployed by senior management.

Responding to a consultative poll of members by Unite the Union, 98% of the hospital’s 160 domestic staff said they would back industrial action should it be tabled.

With hospital porters now to be balloted on the same matter, Ninewells could lose more than 260 staff.

Councillors throughout Dundee have urged NHS management and union bosses to work together to come to a solution.

Labour councillor Richard McCready supported striking porters during 2015’s walkout and said, while he hopes concerns can be resolved before strike action is taken, workers’ demands have to be taken seriously.

The West End councillor said: “Staff know their contribution is crucial to the delivery of healthcare services.

“And I know they would go out of their way to ensure there wasn’t any impact on emergency cases.

“That is why it is absolutely important we make this situation different to last year.

“There needs to be a hands-on approach – there can’t be any procrastination.

“Workers in this city need to be treated with dignity and respect. There can be no justification for bullying in the workplace and I would expect action to be taken against any accusation which is proven.”

Liberal Democrat representative Fraser Macpherson, too, called for efforts to be made to avoid industrial action.

He said: “It is absolutely vital that there is a resolution.

“There has to be meaningful discussion between NHS management and trade unions.”

Independent councillor Ian Borthwick said: “I would hope these matters are investigated fully and action taken where appropriate.

“Bullying is deplorable and management have a significant responsibility to ensure this is thoroughly investigated.”

A source told The Courier that staff turnover within Ninewells is abnormally high due to workers feeling unhappy about treatment from management.

It is further claimed there is “unrest” within a number of departments within the hospital.

Graham Nelson, the Unite rep for porters at Ninewells, said: “The porters have now been consulted and are doing their own ballot.”

A spokesman for Unite said: “All our members in domestic care services want is to be treated with the respect that they deserve for the hard work that they do. By sticking together, they are finally making management take issues around unfair treatment seriously – and the result of the consultative ballot sends a strong message about their determination to get fair treatment.

“Our members will be meeting again this week to discuss the situation.”

A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “NHS Tayside is disappointed that it has still not received notification from Unite on the outcome of any consultative ballot they may have held.

“NHS Tayside continues to discuss any concerns held by Unite members with their local branch officials, and local managers and trade union officers are working in partnership around issues raised.

“We take any allegations of bullying seriously and have very robust policies and procedures in place so that staff can feel confident to report any concerns that they may have.”

The spectre of industrial action has again been raised at Ninewells Hospital as support staff indicate their willingness to take their grievances to the picket line. It echoes a walkout by porters last year which threatened to cripple the hospital.

Other NHS Tayside staff members stepped in to perform their duties and ensure patients were not inconvenienced.

It was not an ideal situation and all possible steps should be taken to ensure it does not happen again.

Porters who held a strike last year are also to be balloted on whether they would support strike action.