Hairmyres Hospital staff to take part in 24-hour strike
- Published
The strike will take place at the hospital on 2 September
Staff at Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride are to take part in a 24-hour strike over unpaid wages.
Members of the GMB union say they are fighting to reclaim wages withheld by their employer ISS following the imposition of a new pay system.
The strike, being held from 00:01 on Monday 2 September to 00:01 on Tuesday 3 September, will involve cleaners and porters as well as maintenance, housekeeping and security staff.
ISS was unavailable for comment.
The GMB says that about 300 staff received just two weeks' pay for three weeks' work in May after ISS implemented its Project Greenfield payroll model, which the union claims resulted in fortnightly-paid staff having to wait an additional week for the receipt of their wages.
'No excuse'
It estimates that the money owed amounts to £72,000.
More than 91% of staff voted for strike action after mediation and further consultations failed.
GMB Scotland organiser Karen Leonard said: "It is utterly shameful that dedicated staff on the frontline of NHS Scotland are being treated with such contempt - there is no excuse for withholding wages from your employees.
"We have given the employer every opportunity to do the right thing but the intransigence they have shown to staff, NHS Lanarkshire and the cabinet secretary for health is staggering.
"Let me be clear this is not a decision taken lightly; we know a strike will cause significant disruption but no credible trade union would stand by and allow an employer to take their members' wages."
She added: "What the public need to know is that the threat of a strike could be over tomorrow if ISS show our members the respect they deserve by simply paying what they owe. Everyone should now be calling on ISS to do just that."