Hospital staff stage third walkout in pay dispute

Hospital workers in Leeds are going on strike for the third time in a row over pay.

Theatre assistants at three sites run by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are expected to walk out for five days starting from Monday, according to Unison.

The union said staff were on the lowest grade in the NHS but carried out "crucial clinical work" such as collecting samples and assisting with complex machinery, which should be paid at a higher level.

Dr Magnus Harrison, the trust's chief medical officer, said it was "working closely with theatre colleagues to minimise disruption to patients during the periods of strike action".

Staff previously walked out for five days last month and for 48 hours in December.

Unison said the trust's refusal to pay staff fairly was out of line with other hospital trusts across the region, and around the country.

It said since 2021, more than 100 NHS trusts and health boards in England and Wales have agreed deals on regrading and back pay worth £250m for more than 65,000 healthcare support workers.

Imogen Woods, Unison's Yorkshire and Humberside area organiser, said staff should be "paid fairly".

She added: "Managers can easily prevent this latest strike from happening by getting back round the table.

"Workers don't want to be out in the cold – they want to be doing the jobs they care about, making sure some of the most vulnerable people in Leeds receive the quality care they deserve."

Harrison added: "We remain committed to ensuring all colleagues feel valued and able to raise their concerns."

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