An overwhelming 98% of nursing assistants backed strike action in a formal ballot, says the union.
The workers, employed at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, Crawley Hospital and Horsham Hospital, are demanding pay that reflects their essential role in patient care. They provide vital support to nurses and other clinical staff but have not been paid for extra duties they’ve had to take on, the union says.
The staff have been employed on band 2 of the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale, which means they should only undertake personal care tasks such as bathing or feeding patients.
But they regularly undertake clinical tasks like inserting cannulas, carrying out electrocardiogram (ECG) tests or taking blood samples, which should be paid at the higher band 3 rate, says the union.
While the trust has acknowledged that staff are undertaking additional work they are not being paid for, it has refused to compensate them properly for the years spent working above their pay grade, says the union. In similar banding disputes elsewhere, trusts have agreed to recognise employees’ extra work as far back as August 2018.
Additional strike dates have been set for later in July.
UNISON South East regional secretary Steve Torrance said: “Across the South East, low-paid healthcare staff are working together for fair pay and recognition.
“This dispute is the tip of the iceberg. Senior managers have to wake up to the reality that staff are underpaid and feel undervalued.
“Dedicated professionals in the NHS must get the respect and wages they deserve.”
UNISON South East regional organiser Rachel Slaughter said: “These dedicated workers provide incredible care for patients, over and above their job description. They’ve done this for years because they’re proud of the work they do. But the trust has been getting it on the cheap.
“Staff have seen others in a similar position across the country recognised for their extra work and mustn’t be left behind.
“Industrial action is a last resort, but staff reckon senior managers have buried their heads in the sand and hoped the issue would just go away. That won’t happen.
“Trust bosses must come to their senses and get back around the table so future strike action can be averted.”
