Estate staff at NHS Tayside are to extend strike action over “second class pay conditions”.
Around 60 estate workers, including electricians, plumbers and engineers, will walk out today and every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday each week.
Members of union Unite will continue to withdraw from weekend cover, meaning they will not return to work until Monday at 8am.
It is an extension of the previous two days (Thursdays and Fridays) previously scheduled.
Unite claims that staff are receiving an “underpayment of wages” and that NHS Tayside “refuses to listen”.
Estates workers ensure that operating theatres across NHS Tayside are able to function safely and smoothly by providing an on-site and on-call service.
It comes after strikes earlier in the month.
Unite says the hospitals impacted by the strikes are Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Royal Victoria, Kings Cross, Stracathro and Perth Royal Infirmary.
However, NHS Tayside the strikes only affect staff at Ninewells.
Union to ‘support members all the way’
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Unite has sought to resolve this dispute through negotiation and arbitration but NHS Tayside is refusing to listen to anyone but themselves.
“They have left our members with no option but to escalate their industrial action.
“Our members are determined to get what they deserve – fair and equal treatment – and Unite will continue to support our members all the way.”
Unite also claims that NHS Tayside has been unwilling for the Scottish Terms and Conditions board to mediate the dispute.
NHS Tayside said it believed a dispute with Unite had been resolved in July, and was “disappointed” at industrial action at Ninewells Hospital.
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “We are extremely disappointed that Unite are escalating their industrial action. We have contingency arrangements in place.
“Throughout the strike action which has been running since the end of September, no clinical activity has been affected.
“We are dismayed at some of the statements made by Unite which are not reflective of what is happening in Ninewells or other parts of the NHS Tayside estate.
“The contingency arrangements means there have been no concerns relating to building environments across the NHS Tayside estate.
No heating or hot water issues reported
“There has been no widespread heating or hot water issues in any areas reported by clinical or estates teams. Any maintenance issues reported are being dealt with as normal.
“NHS Tayside has proactively contacted Unite throughout the dispute several times in the past week to continue discussions. Management met with staff last week in an open question and answer session in which many questions were raised and responded to in relation to the dispute.
“NHS Tayside remains committed to resolving the dispute and believes that there are still routes for resolution open to both parties.
“One of these routes to local resolution is the offer which has been made to both Unite and individual members of staff to bring concerns they have relating to their pay to their managers or other senior leaders with a commitment these will be fully investigated.”
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