08.10.14
Radiographers vote for strike action over pay
Radiographers have voted to go on strike for the first time in over 30 years, joining Unison, Unite and the Royal College of Midwives in taking industrial action this month over pay.
Members of the Society of Radiographers across the UK will walk out for four hours on Monday 20 October and will ‘work-to-rule’ for the rest of that week.
Richard Evans, chief executive officer of the Society, also stated there is a possibility of further action by radiographers in the future.
The radiographer walk-out will follow strike action next week from a number of other unions including Unison, Unite and the Royal College of Midwives. As previously reported by NHE, they have coordinated their efforts and will stage a four hour walkout on Monday followed by also working to rule for the next four days.
The action is being taken over the government’s decision to institute a below-inflation 1% non-consolidated pay rise, which the 600,000 staff who receive progression pay increases over 1% will not receive. The government ignored the recommendations of the NHS Pay Review Body, which specifically said that a non-consolidated pay award could have an “adverse impact on staff engagement and motivation” and recommended against it.
Evans said: “Radiographers will try and keep the effect on patients to a minimum but radiographers and other healthcare workers have got to the stage that they feel there is no alternative.
“Because of inflation, staff in the NHS have been taking a year-on-year pay cut. Unless we show the government that we are serious about our claim that NHS staff should be treated fairly, they will continue to take advantage of our goodwill.”
Members of the Society, which represents 28,000 people who work in diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy, voted by 53.7% in favour of strikes, and by 78.9% for other forms of industrial action.
(Image: c. David Jones/PA.)
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