Healthcare workers at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General hospitals are marking their 100th day of strike action today (Friday) with a protest.
Thirty-seven phlebotomists, who specialise in taking patient blood samples, at the two hospitals have been on strike since March in a long-running dispute over fair pay.
They will be joined by supporters at a rally outside Shire Hall in Gloucester at 10am. After the event, the NHS workers will return to the picket line outside Gloucestershire Royal Hospital from 12.30pm to 2pm, where they will hold a bake sale to raise funds for charity.
The phlebotomists began their action in March after Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust refused to regrade staff who said they had been performing extra duties at work.
UNISON says the workers have been wrongly placed on lowest pay scale in the NHS. For years the staff have been doing more complex tasks, usually associated with the higher NHS band 3, adds the union.
UNISON South West regional organiser Chris Roche said: “Reaching 100 days of strike action shows these NHS staff are determined to be treated fairly. The trust has had countless opportunities to resolve this dispute but has instead chosen delay and denial.
“These phlebotomists carry out highly skilled, patient-facing work. They’re not asking for special treatment, just fair pay for the jobs they already do.”
Phlebotomist and UNISON representative Caroline Hayhurst said: “Today is our 100th day on strike and we are not backing down. We want to be paid fairly for the work we do.
“This is not just about us. This dispute matters for phlebotomists across the country. If trusts can ignore their own policies and underpay skilled NHS staff here, they will try to do it elsewhere too. It’s time to put this right.”
