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23-12-09, 09:03 PM
http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/news/Hospital-strike-start-January-5/article-1638752-detail/article.html
Hospital strike 'will start on January 5'
Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 16:11
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Click here to read their views. (http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/news/Hospital-strike-start-January-5/article-1638752-detail/article.html#StartComments)
STAFF at North Devon District Hospital will start a two-day strike on January 5.
Cooks, cleaners and porters will go on strike after a long-running dispute over a "two-tier workforce" was not resolved.
Their union, Unison, announced today that the 48 hour industrial action will start at a minute past midnight on January 5.
The union says it has been waiting more than three years for the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and Sodexo to implement a national agreement to bring fairness to all staff at the hospital.
Helen Eccles, regional organiser at Unison South West, said: "We are now seeking immediate authorisation from the Unison Industrial Action Committee for this action to proceed.
"We met with the trust and Sodexo yesterday and whilst they have agreed to implement sick pay and the correct annual leave entitlement, they are still asking our members to wait for full implementation of the national agreement.
"The trust and Sodexo failed to give any commitment regarding how long this wait would be and at what cost.
"Unison welcomes the fact that the trust has committed to increasing the funding of the Sodexo contract, but we are concerned at suggestions that jobs will be cut as this may well undermine the excellent quality of services that these members provide to the public of North Devon."
She added: "Unison has offered to cancel all annual leave and meet with the trust and Sodexo next week in an attempt to resolve this dispute and thereby avoid industrial action.
"However, the trust has told us the earliest it can meet is on January 7 2010.
"Our members don't want to take industrial action. They've waited three years for the national agreement to be implemented, despite the fact that the trust has already received the funds.
"We are doing everything we can to avoid industrial action, however, it seems that the trust and Sodexo are determined to drag this out yet further. Our members simply want to know when they will receive fair play."
Although a strike by key hospital workers during one of the coldest months of the year will cause disruption, the union said any action will not put patients at risk because all "life and death" duties will continue.
Earlier today the trust said all Sodexo staff would get pay and conditions in line with NHS staff.
The trust said it would "increase the value of its contract with Sodexo" to cover sick pay and increased annual leave from January 1.
And the trust said it would continue working with Sodexo and Unison towards a final agreement on implementation and timescales, with the assistance of Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
Trust deputy chief executive Jo Gibbs said: "We're committed to increase funding for the Sodexo contract so their staff can be brought into line with their colleagues employed by NHS. It will be a time for careful reflection, with Acas help, as we move towards final agreement."
The trust said it had signed a seven-year contract with Sodexo in 2000 to provide support services and this agreement was extended by three years in 2008
Hospital strike 'will start on January 5'
Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 16:11
1 reader has commented on this story.
Click here to read their views. (http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/news/Hospital-strike-start-January-5/article-1638752-detail/article.html#StartComments)
STAFF at North Devon District Hospital will start a two-day strike on January 5.
Cooks, cleaners and porters will go on strike after a long-running dispute over a "two-tier workforce" was not resolved.
Their union, Unison, announced today that the 48 hour industrial action will start at a minute past midnight on January 5.
The union says it has been waiting more than three years for the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and Sodexo to implement a national agreement to bring fairness to all staff at the hospital.
Helen Eccles, regional organiser at Unison South West, said: "We are now seeking immediate authorisation from the Unison Industrial Action Committee for this action to proceed.
"We met with the trust and Sodexo yesterday and whilst they have agreed to implement sick pay and the correct annual leave entitlement, they are still asking our members to wait for full implementation of the national agreement.
"The trust and Sodexo failed to give any commitment regarding how long this wait would be and at what cost.
"Unison welcomes the fact that the trust has committed to increasing the funding of the Sodexo contract, but we are concerned at suggestions that jobs will be cut as this may well undermine the excellent quality of services that these members provide to the public of North Devon."
She added: "Unison has offered to cancel all annual leave and meet with the trust and Sodexo next week in an attempt to resolve this dispute and thereby avoid industrial action.
"However, the trust has told us the earliest it can meet is on January 7 2010.
"Our members don't want to take industrial action. They've waited three years for the national agreement to be implemented, despite the fact that the trust has already received the funds.
"We are doing everything we can to avoid industrial action, however, it seems that the trust and Sodexo are determined to drag this out yet further. Our members simply want to know when they will receive fair play."
Although a strike by key hospital workers during one of the coldest months of the year will cause disruption, the union said any action will not put patients at risk because all "life and death" duties will continue.
Earlier today the trust said all Sodexo staff would get pay and conditions in line with NHS staff.
The trust said it would "increase the value of its contract with Sodexo" to cover sick pay and increased annual leave from January 1.
And the trust said it would continue working with Sodexo and Unison towards a final agreement on implementation and timescales, with the assistance of Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
Trust deputy chief executive Jo Gibbs said: "We're committed to increase funding for the Sodexo contract so their staff can be brought into line with their colleagues employed by NHS. It will be a time for careful reflection, with Acas help, as we move towards final agreement."
The trust said it had signed a seven-year contract with Sodexo in 2000 to provide support services and this agreement was extended by three years in 2008