Theatre staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals reject NCA offer, 424 votes to 3
Theatre staff at Salford Royal, Royal Oldham, Rochdale Infirmary and Fairfield General voted 424 to 3 against the Northern Care Alliance's offer, and UNISON
Theatre staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals have rejected a Northern Care Alliance pay offer, with UNISON planning further strikes in a dispute over overtime.
The dispute affects Salford Royal, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary and Fairfield General Hospital in Bury. Nurses, clinical support workers and housekeepers are among those involved.
UNISON’s local branch said 427 valid votes were cast (82%): 424 against the offer (99.4%) and three in favour.
Staff have already taken 17 days of strike action over five months. The dispute centres on the use of external agency NHS Professionals to manage additional shifts. UNISON says the arrangements could leave some workers up to £80 worse off per shift.
The trust’s offer, made on 7 October, included enhanced payments for eligible theatre staff working extra voluntary shifts through the agency. It also promised improvements to staffing, rotas, management and working conditions.
On 3 November, Kevin Dolan, regional organiser for UNISON North West, said the union was immediately writing to NCA to make clear that workers would continue to strike until they received fair pay.
At a trust board meeting on 4 November, interim chief operating officer Leah Robins warned that further action was possible in November. Interim chief executive Kevin McGee said it was “very disappointing” that staff had rejected what the trust described as its “best offer”. He said operations had already been postponed and patients’ care delayed, adding that the trust must explore alternative ways to deliver care during industrial action, including having some work currently performed by the NCA done elsewhere.
UNISON says it will provide further strike dates after giving the trust the legally required notice. The trust says patient safety and limiting disruption are its priorities during further action. During the August strikes, it asked patients to attend appointments as planned unless contacted directly, and said it would contact those whose appointments had to be rescheduled.
