Pay strikes at hospitals and health centres across Norwich and Norfolk will intensify next week, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (1 September).

There will be significant disruption impacting on patients, as workers employed by Norse Commercial Services take further strike action in the dispute over pay.

The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, undertake critical maintenance duties for all Norfolk Community and Health Care Trusts’ hospitals and health centres.

The workers have rejected a four per cent pay increase, which is a substantial real terms pay cut with the current true inflation rate (RPI) standing at nine per cent. Industrial relations have further deteriorated as Norse has imposed the four per cent increase and blamed the hospital trust for not being prepared to increase payments on the contract.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Norse’s Norfolk workforce undertake critical roles keeping the county’s hospitals and health centres functioning. It is absolutely unacceptable that they have been offered a significant real terms pay cut.

“Norse and Norfolk Community and Health Care Trust’s must stop blaming each other and make sure our members are offered an acceptable pay increase.”

Following five days of industrial action in August, the workers will strike next Monday (4 September), Tuesday (5 September) and Wednesday (6 September).

During this time the hospital trust will have no maintenance support, including emergency callouts. Further strikes are likely unless the dispute is swiftly resolved.

Unite regional officer Adam Oakes said: “Norse and the hospital trust could have resolved this issue weeks ago. Their refusal to put forward a reasonable pay offer is causing significant disruption that will impact patients. A fair pay offer needs to be tabled.”

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065. 

Email: [email protected]

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Web: unitetheunion.org 

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.