Bradford NHS staff set to strike over facilities transfer

The second round of strike action is planned to start in August, the union said

Staff at Bradford hospitals have voted to take further strike action over plans to set up a new company to run the facilities.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust wants to transfer workers such as porters and cleaners to a subsidiary company.

More than 300 staff from the estates and facilities team are set to strike for two weeks from 1 August.

The trust said the move would protect staff and patient care, and the company would remain 100% owned by the NHS.

Trade union Unison described the move as "backdoor privatisation" and claimed workers would lose their protection as NHS employees.

Tony Pearson, union rep in charge of health services in Yorkshire and Humberside, said members wanted to stay employed by the NHS.

'Not privatising services'

He said if the measures were implemented there would be nothing to stop managers imposing new contracts on members with worse pay and conditions.

The planned action follows a week-long strike which ended on 14 July.

In a statement, Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust said all staff would have their terms and conditions protected by legislation at the time of transfer, on 1 October.

"We have absolutely guaranteed to protect their terms and conditions for as long as the new company has the contract with the trust, which is 25 years," it said.

"The trust believes this is the only model which in the long-term, set against the constant need to make savings, allows us to grow the business, protect our staff and continue to support patient care."

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There are about 600 staff in the estates, facilities and clinical engineering services affected by the transfer.