20.11.12
Admin staff strike at Yorkshire hospitals
Staff are beginning a three-day strike at three Yorkshire hospitals today, over potential job cuts.
Unsion members at Mid Yorkshire Hospital NHS Trust are now on strike until midnight on Thursday, with around 300 administration and clerical staff expected to take part.
A previous one-day strike was held earlier in November after 74 employees were sent redundancy letters. A ballot in October saw 88% of union members vote in favour of a strike.
The strikes will take place at hospitals in Wakefield, Dewsbury and Pontefract.
Staff could also face pay cuts of between £1,700 and £2,800 a year, Unison said. Regional organiser Jim Bell commented: “Our members are angry that the management has flatly refused to negotiate with us.”
The trust has to save £24m by April 2013.
Graham Briggs, from the Mid Yorkshire trust, told the BBC: “We remain open to any discussions which will negate the need for staff to take industrial action but we will not compromise on providing patient services.
“Therefore we must look at ways in which can reduce our pay bill while maintaining our services.”
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