Some of NHS Highland’s lowest paid workers are considering strike action over £450,000 in unpaid wages.
GMB Scotland has written to health secretary Michael Matheson urging him to help secure the money owed to staff working for Robertson Facilities Management at New Craigs Hospital in Inverness.
The workers are mostly caterers, domestics and porters.
They receive the minimum wage but following the threat of strike action were placed in the NHS Scotland pay structure, Agenda for Change.
That decision was signed off by previous health secretary and now First Minister Humza Yousaf.
Patience ‘stretched to breaking point’
The new pay rates started on April 1.
But the rise is still to reach workers and support staff at the psychiatric hospital are owed up to £20,000 each in backdated payments.
GMB Scotland organiser John McCartney said staff are now being asked to vote on industrial action in a consultative ballot.
He described the staff involved as being among the lowest paid but most crucial workers in the NHS.
Mr McCartney added they are angry and feel betrayed that the rise promised has still not been reached them.
He said: “Our members have followed the agreed process. They have patiently waited to be paid the money they are owed and have been promised.
“Their patience has been stretched to breaking point, however. After repeatedly calling on NHS Highland to do the right thing we have written to the health secretary urging him to urgently intervene.
“In the meantime, we are in the process of holding an informal workplace ballot on industrial action.
“The strength of feeling and anger among our workers would suggest support for strike action is inevitable.”
Cost of living crisis hitting NHS workers
Talk of industrial action has become commonplace across the country.
Double-digit inflation and the spiralling cost of living crisis have accelerated worker concerns.
Other GMB Scotland members in the NHS and the ambulance service accepted an improved pay offer from the Scottish Government earlier this year.
Its members accepted the offer in March by a majority of 59.7%.
That offer included a commitment to modernising Agenda for Change.
A spokeswoman on behalf of NHS Highland and Robertson Facilities Management said the backdated pay issue is being worked on.
She added: “We are working together through a period of due diligence to ensure that employees receive the correct backdated remuneration.
“This is a lengthy process and we have kept employees informed at every stage.”
Conversation