This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-23523397
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Leeds hospitals staff strike again over new shifts | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Pathology staff at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust have begun a further 48-hour strike in a dispute over changes to their working patterns. | |
| The Unite union said switching 142 of its members from normal day working and on-call arrangements to a shift system would be unsafe for patients and staff. | The Unite union said switching 142 of its members from normal day working and on-call arrangements to a shift system would be unsafe for patients and staff. |
| Staff at the trust's three hospitals in Leeds and Bradford held a 24-hour strike on 16 July. | Staff at the trust's three hospitals in Leeds and Bradford held a 24-hour strike on 16 July. |
| The trust said patient safety was its "top concern". | The trust said patient safety was its "top concern". |
| Pay cuts | Pay cuts |
| The proposals affect biomedical scientists and support staff who test blood samples and monitor blood transfusions at St James's Hospital in Leeds, Leeds General Infirmary and Bradford Royal Infirmary. | |
| Picket lines have been set up outside the three hospital buildings. | |
| Terry Cunliffe, Unite regional officer, said talks with the trust's management to settle the dispute had broken down. | |
| "The trust continues to impose shift arrangements that are, in the opinion of Unite, unsafe for patients and staff," he said. | |
| "We had offered to reconsider this week's industrial action if the trust withdrew the threat to impose these shifts on our members, but up to [now] it has refused." | "We had offered to reconsider this week's industrial action if the trust withdrew the threat to impose these shifts on our members, but up to [now] it has refused." |
| 'Patient safety' | 'Patient safety' |
| Mr Cunliffe said the union had agreed to continue "supplying emergency cover" during the 48-hour strike action, which began at 08:30 BST. | |
| A continuing ban on overtime was in place following the strike action earlier this month, Unite said. | A continuing ban on overtime was in place following the strike action earlier this month, Unite said. |
| A spokesman for the trust said the proposed new shift arrangements were in line with a "nationally agreed Agenda for Change terms and conditions", which it was looking to implement at its three hospitals. | A spokesman for the trust said the proposed new shift arrangements were in line with a "nationally agreed Agenda for Change terms and conditions", which it was looking to implement at its three hospitals. |
| Trust medical director Dr Yvette Oade said: "Patient safety is our top concern. | |
| "Though pathology services are vital in any hospital, most of the treatments we provide do not require them, so most patients should be seen as normal." | "Though pathology services are vital in any hospital, most of the treatments we provide do not require them, so most patients should be seen as normal." |