NEWS Health BY HELEN HAGUE BAD BLOOD
in Milton Keynes Unite biomedical scientists have been pushed to the limit and are working to rule
It reads like a primer on how not to treat highly qualified hard-working hospital staff.
First, impose contracts forcing staff to be on standby to work unsocial hours. Then, when staff vote overwhelmingly to work- to-rule, they dock their pay for tea breaks. And make sure a clip-board-wielding manager is walking round, writing down just how long tea took.
This is what’s happening at Milton Keynes Hospital Foundation Trust where biomedical scientist staff feel they’ve been unfairly singled out in management’s drive to cut costs.
The move, imposed in February, makes it harder for lab staff, who already work evenings and weekends as part of normal rotas, to plan their social and family life.
Under the new regime, a voluntary agreement to provide “secondary cover” at night and weekends has been made compulsory. Lab staff who are biomedical scientists are expected to be on standby for 12 hours for £25. Rates for working unsocial hours have already been slashed by 70 per cent. This means staff who used to get enhanced unsocial hours payments averaging £20 an hour when they were called in now only get around £6 an hour on top of their basic.
Unite, which represents lab staff at the sharp end blamed cuts to NHS funding for the savage reduction in unsocial hours payments. But the blunderbuss tactics seem insulting.
Regional officer Debbie Watson said Unite members, “recognise times are tough but think that the management’s hard-line attitude shows no understanding of their right to a decent work life balance.”
Staff involved already work around three unsocial hours shifts a month as part of their normal work pattern. Now they will have to make themselves available on top of that for at least another three shifts a month. Morale has been hit hard. “If you are having your blood monitored at three in the morning, you want the
17 uniteWORKS March/April 2013
Taking the biscuit – staff are docked for tea breaks
person doing it to feel rested, valued and qualified”.
Being on standby means staff have to be prepared to go into work at very short notice, and get to the hospital within the hour. “Our members take their responsibilities very seriously. You can’t just hope you are not going to get the call in,” Debbie added.
Staff involved in the work-to-rule have traditionally shown a readiness to work at short notice and staying beyond shift times if needed. But management’s actions have “stretched goodwill to breaking point”. While emergencies would of course be covered, the work-to-rule could delay more routine blood and lab tests.
Debbie says “We call on the trust to reverse the compulsory element of the contract so our hard working members can enjoy a decent work-life balance.” And stop getting charged for taking a tea-break.
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