Healthcare assistants call off strike action

Strikes set to take place next week have been suspended

Healthcare assistants have called off strike action after their union and NHS bosses agreed to negotiate.

Hundreds of staff from North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were due to walk out next week for 48 hours in a pay dispute.

The row was over backpay, with the union arguing members deserved more than was offered by the NHS.

Unison said it was glad to see negotiations recommence but warned future strikes could not be ruled out.

Union members are currently in the middle of strike action that started on 10 June and is due to end on 15 June. The current industrial action will continue as planned.

But a second strike planned to take place from 17 June to 19 June has now been suspended.

'Proper talks'

The dispute began over calls that healthcare assistants on a band 2 salary should receive a pay rise after carrying out clinical work not included in their job role.

The NHS has agreed to raise eligible staff members to a band 3 salary and said it would backdate their pay to July 2021.

However, the union argued staff had been carrying out clinical work before this date and should receive further backpay.

Unison Northern regional secretary Clare Williams said: "It's good to see that the trusts are listening to staff at last and have agreed to meet for proper talks.

"The ball is now in the employers' court. If the talks fail, staff could be back on strike and no-one wants that."

In a joint statement, the trusts said they would meet Unison on Monday.

"Further discussions will take place to support reaching an agreement with healthcare assistant colleagues," a spokesperson said.