Strikes are on tomorrow at six Northumbria hospitals in missing wages row, says UNISON
Hundreds of healthcare assistants employed by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are set to walk out for two days from tomorrow (Wednesday) in a dispute over missing wages, says UNISON.
The 48-hour strike begins at 7.30am at Alnwick Infirmary and Berwick Infirmary, along with Hexham General, North Tyneside General, Wansbeck General and Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care hospitals.
Staff are angry their employers have refused to pay them for work carried out when they were on the wrong grade.
The workers had been carrying out tasks – such as taking blood, performing electrocardiogram tests and inserting cannulas – that should have been paid at a higher hourly rate.
In 2024 the trust accepted the workers were performing duties above their role and they were regraded. However, senior managers have refused to compensate them fully for the extra work they did.
UNISON says the trust’s refusal to settle up fairly is out of step with what is happening elsewhere in the region and around the country. Since 2021, over 60 NHS trusts in England and Wales have agreed deals on regrading and back pay for over 40,000 healthcare workers.
UNISON Northern regional secretary Clare Williams said “This dispute is about fairness. None of the healthcare assistants want to go on strike. They just want to be paid the money they’re owed for work they’ve done.
“Trusts up and down the country are doing the right thing and compensating their staff properly. It’s time senior managers at Northumbria stopped dithering and resolved this dispute.
“There’s no reason hardworking staff in Northumbria should have to settle for less than the thousands of other NHS employees who’ve already agreed much fairer deals.”
A spokesperson from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: ““Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust worked in partnership with our local Staff Side last year and reached an agreement in principle to re-band the role of nursing assistant from Band 2 to Band 3 with effect from 1 April 2024, with pay back-dated to 1 April 2022. We acted quickly to make the banding changes and pay backpay to those who were entitled to it.
“As always, we are committed to working in partnership with our staff side colleagues on local matters, and we will do what is required to ensure the safe care of our patients.”