Staff at Gloucester and Cheltenham hospitals announce 72-hour strike over pay

Specialist healthcare workers at hospitals in Gloucester and Cheltenham, who take patient blood samples, are to take three days of strike action later this month over unfair pay and grading, says UNISON today (Monday).

The overwhelming majority (97%) of the staff, known as phlebotomists, voted for strike action in an industrial ballot that will see them walk out from midnight on Monday 17 March.

The workers and their union, UNISON, requested that Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust resolve the dispute over a year ago, but the Trust has failed to act.

UNISON says the Trust has incorrectly calculated these NHS workers’ pay, leaving them on Band 2 of the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale, despite their skills, knowledge, and the complex nature of their work warranting Band 3 pay.

The NHS employees are paid just £12.08 an hour despite their expertise and vital role in patient treatment, with some having worked in the NHS for more than two decades, says UNISON.

But despite telling hospital managers that 37 phlebotomists would take industrial action if the issue wasn’t resolved by the end of last year, the trust failed to act.

Hospital managers then promised to address the issue by the end of last week but have still failed to resolve the issue, says UNISON.

The phlebotomists work with a wide range of patients, supporting overstretched GP surgeries and playing a vital role in the NHS healthcare system, says UNISON.

UNISON South West regional organiser Chris Roche said: “The NHS Trust has had over 12 months to resolve this issue but has repeatedly missed deadlines. Phlebotomists deserve to be paid fairly for the skilled work they do.

“These dedicated staff play a vital role in our national health service. They should be allowed to focus on their patients, rather than worrying about whether they can pay their bills.

“NHS staff want to be at work giving patient care. The trust can still do the right thing to prevent the disruption this strike will cause.”

Phlebotomist Caroline Hayhurst said: “I do this job because I love it, but it’s getting harder and harder to pay the bills. Few people realise the skills and experience it takes to be a phlebotomist until they need one.

“We work with patients of all ages, often with complex physical and mental health conditions. It’s time our pay and grading reflected the responsibilities of the role.”