Latest News


Updated 31st of August 2007
31st August 2007

Members voted for strike action by over 70%.

When mental health nurse and Unison activist Karen Reissmann was suspended by her employer, Manchester Mental Health Trust, her members voted for strike action by over 70% in a ballot.

The strike was held over three days in August 2007 and the response was nothing short of magnificent. Although Karen is not a member of our Branch, we decided that an attack on one was an attack on all and we gave a large donation towards the strike fund.

The photos show demonstrators outside North Manchester General Hospital. The mood was angry and seen as nothing short of an attack on trade unionism. One member told us, "How can our Trust say it's wrong for a trade unionist to speak out against cuts?"

Many of the members present were deeply upset at the decision of the Trust to descend on the Mental Health Unit the night before and instruct staff to get ready to transfer their patients out to Darlington the same evening. One spoke of a frail, elderly patient in tears because of the shock move.

Karen Reissmann is a well known and much respected figure throughout North Manchester. She is a committed nurse who has fought tirelessly over several years to defend our NHS.


top of page

June 26th 2006 09:00

Branch Demo brings Deansgate to a standstill.

 

Families took to the streets

The march and demo organised by the Branch brought Deansgate to a standstill on Saturday June 24th as angry Pennine staff together with their families took to the streets in force to protest at the 800 job cuts.

The march was colourful and noisy and was led by an enthusiastic band of samba drummers and supported by a veritable orchestra of world cup whistles. Along the route, participants collected hundreds of signatures for the petition and people came out of shops along the route to supply the marchers with food and drink.

Will there still be an NHS when I grow up Grandad?

Patients, pensioners, disabled people, local students and others helped to swell the ranks as the march headed towards the amphitheatre by the Bridgewater Canal in Castlefield where a rally involving several speakers led by Branch Sec Pete Hinchliffe heard how Government rather than management were the main culprits.

Pete, holding aloft a family-size Mars Bar in a mock tribute to the Mars World Cup ‘I Believe’ advertising campaign brought his speech to a triumphal end by saying that he did not believe that the people of this country would stand by and see health workers by the thousand thrown onto the scrapheap. He also told the rally that despite the £160,000 salary on offer, all the applicants for the vacant CEO’s post had suddenly and mysteriously withdrawn their applications 48 hours before the interview! Pete said that they had been offered the job of a lifetime only to find out that the job in question was as captain of the Titanic shortly after it had suffered a ‘slight collision’ mishap with an iceberg!

 

Will there still be an NHS when I grow up Grandad?

Some of the real heroes of the march were the children; some of them carrying home-made placards with mottoes such as “Will there still be an NHS when I grow up Grandad?” Paul Burns (8), Jack Burns (3) and Sam Duxbury (8) were among those who helped stimulate great press interest in the march. All news channels carried footage of the march and demo; most notably Sky TV who stationed a transmitter van and full crew to cover the event.

Speaking after the event, Pete said that the hard work organising the event had been well worth it. He said that he had been so proud of his involvement and delighted to have been congratulated by people after the event. “This sends out a clear message to Blair and all the others who have broken faith with the electorate he said.”

Will there still be an NHS when I grow up Grandad?

Brian Porter, Branch Chair from Fairfield General Hospital said that the demo had been a great success and should make people sit up and take notice. Dave Bernasconi and Mick McAiney from the Royal Oldham said that the organisation had been excellent.

On Thursday June 29th, 10 local MPs are to meet with Regional Minister Rosie Winterton to look at ways of reducing the impact of the £22M budget cut that lies at the root of Pennine’s decision to axe up to 800 posts.

There will be further demonstrations against the cuts on July 5th in lunchtime rallies held outside hospital gates across Pennine.


top of page

19th of June 2006 9:00

Pennine staff urged to join March and Demo to save 800 jobs.

Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust staff are being urged to join in a march and demonstration in Manchester city-centre on Saturday June 24th in order to bring to the attention of the public the fact that 800 jobs could go if the Trust fails to come up with plans to cover a £22M cut in its budget.

The march will assemble outside Manchester Victoria Station at 11.30 on Saturday the 24th of June for a march to Castlefield.

Staff are encouraged to bring
their children and families.

There will be further lunchtime demonstrations outside the hospital gates on all Pennine Acute sites on July 5th, the anniversary of the founding of the NHS as staff show their continued anger.

In the meantime, Branch officials have attended parliamentary lobbies of MPs in an attempt to get the funding cuts scrapped or phased in over a longer timescale.


top of page

11th of July 2005 9:00

SHA to send in crack team to look at Pennine Problems

After several weeks of inaction following the double ‘no confidence’ vote, the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) is to send in a crack team to carry out a review. The team, headed by a former president of the Royal College of Physicians, Sir George Alberti will be tasked with:-

Branch Sec Pete Hinchliffe who is Secretary and Convenor to the Central Shop Stewards Committee said, “Whilst we are concerned that the SHA took so long to respond to our letter of June 2 nd, we will co-operate fully with this review. We also have concerns that this review will take place when many key staff will be away on annual leave. Earlier this month, we issued our own 12-point Action Plan for improvement and hope to discuss this fully with Sir George and his team.”

Brian Porter, Branch Chair added, “We have always expressed our willingness to talk. Our concerns are for our members and our patients and we believe that the Staff Attitude Survey shows that the existing Board have got it very badly wrong. We need to ensure that our patients are looked after by staff whose morale is high, who feel involved in the decision-making and who don’t feel threatened or intimidated at work. We need to maintain a careful balance between hitting government targets, balancing the books and making Pennine an organisation that staff enjoy working within in order to ensure that our patients get the best possible care.”

The unions will be meeting with management this week to discuss their 12-point Action Plan and look at ways of taking this forward. They have also planned to meet with local MPs on August 12 th.


top of page

4th of July 2005

Unions challenge local health chiefs with 12-point 'Action Plan'

At an Emergency General Meeting of the Central Shop Stewards Committee held at the Royal Oldham Hospital on June 30th, it was decided that, as a follow up to the ‘no-confidence’ vote held earlier in the month, unions issue management with a 12-point ‘Action Plan’ to protect staff and patient services.

Union representatives are due to meet with management on July 12th in order to discuss the plan in detail and are prepared for some tough talking.

Pete Hinchliffe, Staff Side Secretary said, “We held a preliminary meeting with the Chairman Steven Price and told him that although the ‘no confidence’ vote remains on the table, we were prepared to meet with management and put our proposals to them. We have seen nothing yet to make us believe that they are willing to ‘change their spots’ but we are always willing to let them impress us. We see the Action Plan as a basis for further discussion, not as a complete solution. The problems at Pennine go far beyond something that can be rectified by a plan like this but it may give us a way forward.”

The Action Plan, in paraphrase is listed below.


top of page

22nd of June 2005

UNISON and Consultants:
Link Up in Historic “No Confidence” Vote.

Following the Staff Side vote of ‘no confidence’ in Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust management on June 1 st, the consultants voted by a massive majority of 221 to 34 to register their own vote against a management that they describe as short sighted and not respecting or valuing its staff.

Branch Secretary Pete Hinchliffe said that the reaction of both the Trust and the PCT to the Staff Side vote appeared to be akin to that of an ostrich. “We have had no response whatsoever apart from a brief e mail from the Chairman saying basically that it ‘takes two to tango’.”

“I have to say that we are disappointed by the lack of response but not entirely surprised. Their lofty indifference is something that we have been battling against for three years now. We are fed up, our members are fed up and we think it’s time the Board moved over to make room for others who don’t just pay lip-service to the concept of partnership but who recognise the fact that to win hearts and minds, you must first instil a little confidence and put in some effort and resources. All this Trust seems to understand is hitting government targets and balancing the books. You cannot mouth platitudes about the staff being your greatest asset whilst at the same time you fail to consult them or involve them, as evidenced by the results of the Staff Attitude Survey which, although not the worst in the UK, contains some disturbing results.”

“We feel that the Board lacks the right mixture of people with clinical skills and with financial and accountancy backgrounds. A good Board should have a balance of both but in the case of this Board; the axle isn’t quite in the middle of the wheel. They have had three years to capture our imagination and prove themselves but they have failed and it is time they moved on.”

”Moving a vote of ‘no confidence’ is a fairly extreme measure and not one that we have taken without very serious consideration.”

Pete Hinchliffe

Branch Secretary


top of page

23rd of May 2005

Pennine Acute Hospitals:
‘No Confidence’ Vote by Consultants.

Statement by Branch Secretary

Following articles in the press, we would like to assure all our Members working for the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust that the local UNISON Branch is doing everything in its power to ensure that there are no threats to jobs or services during this difficult time. A brief outline of the main issues can be found at :-

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/News/news.asp?ID=611

We are angry and disappointed that the first Members knew about this crisis was by reading of it in the press or on the local radio. This confirms, yet again, the dismal findings reported in the Staff Attitude Survey where staff clearly do not feel informed or involved in decision-making. In fact, at the time of writing and despite the seriousness of the situation, not one member of the management has contacted us with regard to this issue. To date, all our information comes from what we read in the press and from highly placed but unofficial sources within the Trust

We are not entirely surprised by the decision of the consultants and have had many serious concerns about the management style of the present senior management team for some time.

Over the next two weeks we will be doing the following:-

Pete Hinchliffe

Branch Secretary


top of page

25th of April 2005

Furious Staff Lodge Grievances In Car Park Fury

Pennine staff look set to queue up to lodge individual grievances against the Trust after their employer failed to respond to their written protests over the 50% increase in car parking charges. They were told by the Central Shop Stewards Committee that protests had been logged at Improving Working Lives Groups, JNCC and at Trust Board, all to no avail. The Chief Executive had been swamped by written protests from angry staff but still refused to listen. The only way now open to staff seems to be to register formal grievances. Although the Shop Steward’s Committee is not actually recommending to staff that they take out personal grievances, it is pointing out to them that it seems the only course of action left open to them.

Pete Hinchliffe, Secretary to the Central Shop Stewards Committee and UNISON Branch Secretary said, “The arrogance of this Trust beggars belief. They have just had the results back from the Staff Attitude Survey and, to be honest, it is one of the worst in the country. They’ve done better than average in relation to only 3 questions and worse in relation to a whopping 73 questions yet they still press ahead recklessly with these increases. They are either mad or just plain arrogant. No wonder that staff are leaving in droves. I spoke to a colleague on a paediatric ward last week; normally a popular speciality to work in. She told me that 33 staff had left the ward in the past three years.”

“Members are fed up with reading in the local press or in Pennine News how much the Chief Executive or the Chairman values them. Our Members want actions not words and by their actions over this issue, the Trust have let them know exactly what they think of them. The Staff Attitude Survey shows that they don’t feel informed, involved or valued. Fine words mean nothing. ”

Click on here to download a letter from the Central Shop Stewards Committee and a form enabling you to register a personal grievance.

Get Adobe Reader

To read Acrobat PDF files you need Adobe Reader, which is available free from the Adobe website


top of page

24th of March 2005

Trust Slaps Massive 50% on Staff Parking Costs

‘Jekyll and Hyde Outfit’ slammed by Branch Chair

Staff at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust are reeling after their employer has slapped a massive 50% on the cost of them parking their cars at work. For designated space holders, the increases rocket to an astronomic 58%!

Branch Sec Pete Hinchliffe Pete Hinchliffe who is also secretary to the Central Shop stewards Committee (CSSC) said, “We always suspected that they were bonkers but now we have the proof. These increases, in cash terms are relatively small for the Directors and those whose salaries nudge £100K but for those who earn only about £10K, and that includes a lot of our members, these increases are just too much.

“A lot of other local employers who work in private hospitals, nursing homes and primary care trusts (PCTs) pay nothing yet our Trust has latched onto the idea that they can use their staff as some sort of cash cows to be milked wherever and whenever they feel like it. It is absolutely disgusting.”

The Trust thinks the charges are reasonable and points to Central Manchester where their charges are higher. However it omits to mention that staff working for many other organisations both inside and outside the healthcare sector and with whom it competes for labour pay nothing at all.

The Trust also claims that the cost increases are because of unforeseen additional costs of new licensing requirements for security staff. Pete Hinchliffe countered this by saying, “We need to decouple the funding of the security contract from car parking revenue. Why should staff be charged to provide security personnel in A&E for instance? Providing car park security makes up only a small proportion of the total security budget. We see this as a tax on coming to work. It just goes to show how out of touch these people are.”

Brian Porter, Branch Chair who is based at Fairfield General Hospital said, “For Bury staff, this is particularly hard to swallow as we enjoyed free parking up to two years ago. I wouldn’t mind but half my time is spent on ‘Improving Working Lives’ groups where we are supposed to come up with imaginative schemes to encourage staff to work at Pennine. It feels like we are working for a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ outfit. Our members are angry and upset.”

All the on-site unions intend to campaign vigorously for the charges to be dropped and will be distributing literature to all staff encouraging them to complain to the Chief Executive.

Click on here to download a form in pdf format enabling you to complain to Chris Appleby, PAHT CEO.

Get Adobe Reader

To read Acrobat PDF files you need Adobe Reader, which is available free from the Adobe website


top of page

21st of February 2005

Branch Holds Two Pensions Demo's in one day!

Hands Off Our Pensions

On Friday, February 18th, to coincide with the TUC ‘Day of Action’ on Public Sector Pensions, Branch held not one but two very successful lunchtime demos: one North Manchester General Hospital and one at the Royal Oldham Hospital. Over 100 members attended the events that were organised by the Joint Shop Stewards Committees at each site.

At North Manchester, it appears that the private security firm Securitas, which has just been awarded the Pennine Acute security contract was tasked with the job of keeping a watchful and slightly intimidating eye on the picket line which was at all times, well ordered and good natured. As the demo took place on the public road outside the hospital, it is unclear as to what the Trust was so frightened of. Did they think we were going to storm the building and burn it down? However, it seems that ‘Pennine Paranoia’ is a feature of the organisation and is something that we have to live with.

Hands Off Our Pensions

The day started well with a hard-hitting GMR interview with Liz McInnes, Amicus colleague and Chair of the NMGH Shop Stewards Committee. Branch Secretary Pete Hinchliffe did two further radio interviews as well as some with the local press. Several references to the demo were made throughout the day on GMR, despite the fact that most of the focus fell, quite rightly upon the mass demonstration in central Manchester.

At the Royal Oldham Hospital, Associate Branch Secretaries Dave Bernasconi and Mick McAiney worked with colleagues from Amicus and the CSP to host their event. This event was covered by the ‘Oldham Chronicle’.

Our youngest demonstrator takes a well-earned break.

Our youngest demonstrator takes a well-earned break.

The demo was attended by staff from portering, domestic services, laboratory and nursing staff as well as medical secretaries and colleagues from mental health. The youngest demonstrator was Sam Duxbury, aged 7, whose whistle-blowing helped to attract supportive ‘honks’ from passing motorists. Sam’s parents, who both work within the public sector stand to have to work an extra 10 years if the proposals go ahead. Many motorists sounded their horns in support; most notably fire service and GMAS colleagues as well as local taxi-drivers and residents.

The NMGH event was visited by two friendly police sergeants from Collyhurst who told the demonstrators that their own scheme too was under threat but under the law, they were not allowed to demonstrate. They were told that the demonstration was on behalf of all public sector staff and not just those in the NHS.

Two members calculate their pension entitlement.
Two members calculate their pension entitlement.

All in all, the event was felt to be extremely successful and represented a good effort by the branch. There is no doubt that the pensions issue has united staff in all sectors and across all ages and occupations; management and shop floor. The proposals themselves are ridiculous and are being brought in at a time when we are told that new technology should mean that people have to work for shorter rather than longer periods. Most worrying of all are calls to downgrade public sector pensions to make them more compatible with those in the private sector. Even setting aside the recent scandals within the pension industry, we know that pensions in the private sector are riddled with inconsistencies and inequality with managers often being able to get pensions frills inaccessible to shop floor staff. In fact, many private firms do not even have pension arrangements for their staff and many that do are allowed to take ‘pensions holidays’ or use pension fund monies to pump into their business. Many members have partners who worked in the print industry in Maxwell House and are particularly wary about allowing anyone to tamper with their existing arrangements.

One Branch member remembers her father losing almost all of his pension rights in the Robert Maxwell fiasco. “I don’t think that anyone; whether they are a private individual or the State itself should be allowed to interfere with anyone’s pension. I had to bring up two kids without a partner and struggled hard at times to keep paying into the NHS scheme. I’ve always planned to retire at 60 and everything I’ve done has been working towards that. The though of having to work an extra five years is something I just can’t face. I feel as if I’ve been let down.”

top of page

14th of February 2005

Branch Plans Pensions Demo on February 18th.

Branch Members are urged to join in a hospital gates demonstration at North Manchester General Hospital against the new NHS pension proposals on Friday, February 18 th. Under the new proposals the retirement age will be increased from 60 to 65.

Branch Chair Brian Porter said that UNISON had been fighting for years to lower the retirement age to 55 and that these proposals, if carried out, amounted to a betrayal of health-workers. “It is not just the staff themselves who are concerned.” Said Brian. “We have also been getting calls from patients and from ordinary members of the public who are appalled at these proposals. God knows you don’t join the NHS to become rich but you do not expect to have to work until you drop either. I’ve been to far too many funerals of colleagues who have passed away before retirement age. The government has to realise that working for the health service is no picnic. Many of our members spend most of their working lives in extremely stressful jobs. We think that the present scheme includes maximum flexibility for those who plan to retire early. Our members are angry and for many of them this really is the last straw.”

The peaceful and orderly demonstration will take place outside the main entrance on Delaunay’s Road, Crumpsall from 12 noon – 2.00 pm on Friday February the 18th.

It is timed to coincide with the TUC’s ‘Pensions Day of Action’ to be held across the UK on the same day. Here’s what you can do to make your voice heard:

PLEASE join us on the Demo!

2 hours isn’t much to ask when they want
you to work for FIVE more years!


Further pensions information can be found on the following web sites

UNISION  TUC  NHS Employers

top of page

14th of December 2004

New Year Pensions Shocker for NHS Staff?

In the long-awaited NHS pensions review due to be published on January 10th 2005, it is believed that the minimum retirement age will be raised from 60 to 65 and the minimum age at which pensions can be taken will be raised from 50 to 55. In addition, it is probable that it will be announced that consultation will take place on changing the nature of the scheme from being based on final salary to one based on average career earnings.

It is widely believed that schemes based upon average career earnings disadvantage staff who work part time early in their careers for childcare reasons and also those who gain promotion late on in their careers.

The NHS Pension Scheme has always been a jewel in the NHS recruitment ‘crown’. Although not as good as the civil service or police schemes, it has been supported by unions and employers alike. UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentice has accused the government of breaking the ‘moral contract’ with staff by seeking to impose these changes and went on to point out how MPs and judges had managed to negotiate far better arrangements for themselves.

Branch Secretary Pete Hinchliffe said, “We will be studying the January 10 th document with great interest but the early indicators are causing great concern to our members. UNISON has fought for years to lower the age at which people can retire and now we find that a Labour Party, in itself part-funded by our members subs, is actually raising the age to 65.”

“As is well known, legislation from Europe seeks to abolish compulsory retirement ages as they can be discriminatory. However, we believe that those staff who choose to, should be able to retire early with the security of a good occupational pension to rely on. NHS staff pay in 6% of their salary unlike our civil service colleagues who contribute as little as 1.5%. In the police and fire service schemes, the employer can contribute as much as 26% of salary. We believe that the NHS scheme is cost-effective and is of benefit not just to the employee but to the service as a whole. The options for early retirement were built into the scheme and they recognise the stressful nature of NHS employment.”

Pete asks members to note that there is no use ringing the Branch Office at the moment in order to find out how the proposed changes will affect them. Until the document is published on January 10 th, the actual detail of the proposals will not be known.

top of page

22nd of November 2004

Agenda For Change gets go ahead despite poor turnout

Less than a quarter of UNISON Members voted in the recent ballot about whether or not to give Agenda for Change the green light. Of those who did vote, the result was about 3:1 in favour although we believe that the percentage of ‘yes’ votes in Pennine was substantially lower than this.

Whilst it may not have been the result we wanted, the message from Members is clear. They want us to get heavily involved in the process in order to ensure that we get the best possible deals in the many areas where it is possible to negotiate locally.

Already, Branch Stewards are working hard on matching panels and on the key A4C committees: Project Board, Job Evaluation Group, Terms & Conditions Group, Modernisation Group and Knowledge & Skills Framework Group.

Branch Secretary Pete Hinchliffe who also chairs the Job Evaluation Committee said, “We already know that there have been problems with job descriptions. In some cases, managers have drawn these up in the dark and expect our members simply to sign them off. We need to ensure that our members agree these jointly and there is no way that we’ll let jobs be matched unless there is very clear evidence that they have been agreed.”

Pete said, “One of the issues for our members is the oft-quoted mantra that the whole concept of A4C is based on a partnership approach. Whilst we welcome the opportunity to ensure that the interests of our members are considered jointly throughout every stage of the process, we know that not all our members believe that a real partnership based upon equality is either feasible or desirable. After all, if you look at management and unions and ‘can’t see the join’ then what’s the point?

“Partnership, of a kind, there may well be but the objectives of management and trade unions will always be different; underpinned as they are by opposing ideologies.”

High on Branch’s ‘shopping list’ will be the desire to ensure that NHS staff transferring out to private contractors in 2005/6 get benefit of A4C pay and T&Cs before they go over. Affected staff will include the domestic workers in Rochdale and security staff at the Royal Oldham. As Pete says, “How we can buy into any real concept of partnership at the same time that members are being transferred into the private sector beats me.”

top of page

16th of October 2004

Branch urges caution on Agenda for Change ballot

The Branch Delegates who attended the historic one-day conference in London on October 7th listened carefully as many speakers urged them to vote ‘No’ in the forthcoming ballot on A4C.

Early Implementer sites; most notably Sunderland had shown that there were many unresolved issues in relation to A4C and that members could be voting for a ‘pig in a poke’ if they vote ‘Yes’ whilst many aspects of the package are so unsatisfactory.

Branch recognises that some members stand to make obvious gains under AFC and split the Branch vote 3:1 against acceptance. In the end, the vote was carried on a show of hands and both conference and the Service Group Executive are recommending that Members vote for the package. Ballot forms are currently being sent out to all members who as well as voting by post, may also register their decision via the internet.

Branch Sec Pete Hinchliffe said that the only responsible advice that he could give to members regarding voting was to urge caution and look at the whole package. He said, “The fact that they have taken segments such as Unsocial Hours and On-Call payments out of A4C to be decided separately by April 2006 is supposed to be good news. However, I’ve never been one for signing blank cheques and like many members I believe that by fudging these important issues, we are being asked to sign up wearing a blindfold.

“I also know that many members working for PAHT are very concerned that they are being asked to vote before any of the 10,000 staff know what pay band they will be placed on. How can I in all conscience advise them to vote for a deal that could result in many of them needing pay protection? The decision as to whether or not to accept A4C will affect all of us for the rest of our working lives and into retirement. I cannot, in all honesty act like ‘The Man From Del Monte’ and say ‘Yes’ when I have so little hard information to go on.”

Branch believes that if you really feel that you have enough information and believe that A4C is a good deal for you, all your colleagues and for the NHS then you should consider voting ‘Yes’. However, if you still have unanswered questions about A4C and feel that acceptance carries with it an element of risk then you really need to consider registering a ‘No’ vote.

top of page

2nd of April 2004

Domestics and porters call off strike as pay dispute settled

The strike by domestics and porters staff at North Manchester General and Fairfield Hospitals has been settled after Danish multinational ISS Mediclean agreed to settle. The strike threat which would have brought both hospitals to their knees had been suspended pending further talks and was the result of frustration after months of negotiations had failed to produce a settlement. The domestic staff, who currently earn just £4.61 per hour were demanding £5.00 and on Monday April 31st, ISS Mediclean finally agreed to pay this from April 1st plus give an additional 2 days annual to all staff with three years service and above. The members agreed to accept the deal at mass meetings held at both hospitals on April 1st.

The negotiations had never been easy going and a senior team of UNISON regional officials were called in to supplement the efforts of Branch Officers. Dirty tactics by management included trying to split the porters and domestics by having an ‘under the counter’, unofficial ballot which was rightly boycotted by many members who wanted nothing to do such divisive tactics.

The real coup for UNISON was in the recruitment of almost 70 new members plus signing up three new stewards: Kevin Clayton, Lorraine Power (NMGH) and Sue Ganley (Fairfield). Branch Chair Brian Porter said, “This really was a magnificent effort by staff who saw through the management shenanigans, stuck together and won through. These low paid staff are a credit to the whole trade union movement and we are proud of them. The real culprit in this is the government’s scandalous two tier workforce which means that poverty pay comes as standard for many healthcare workers.”

ISS Mediclean have also agreed to set up a Joint Consultative Committee in order to thrash out local issues in the future.

top of page

21st of March 2004

Redundancies feared in latest cash crisis

Relationships between trade unions and management at crisis-hit Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust continue to plummet after news that up to 100 redundancies are imminent. CEO Chris Appleby is announcing the news to staff at so-called 'Executive Road shows' at each of the four main hospital sites. At the Trust Board meeting held earlier in the month, it had already been revealed that 170 posts were at risk but is was felt that a strategy of not filling vacant posts could avoid the need for redundancies.

UNISON-PAH Branch Secretary Pete Hinchliffe said, "Staff are extremely worried by this latest news and we are asking for full information from the Trust so that we can make a case to save as many of our members jobs as possible. We have pointed out to the CEO that staff were assured that jobs would not be at risk when the four former health Trusts merged less that two years ago. Mr Appleby has repeatedly told us that it is now time to move on. What he forgets to mention is that for many staff, this 'moving on' seems to be taking place on the 'road to nowhere'. We have informed all our local MP's and are hoping for firm support from them."

Staff were angered last week by a letter from Human Resources Director Roy Tyndall that asked staff to consider reducing their hours in order to save job. Pete Hinchliffe said, the last thing that staff need at this time is this sort of heavy-handed, emotional blackmail. They need support and reassurance rather than being told that they could be responsible for colleagues being given the push."

UNISON-PAH believes that if redundancies are needed, they can be achieved by asking for volunteers rather than imposing them.

top of page