NHS Highland has been forced into an embarrassing climb-down after a strike threat from porters at the north’s flagship hospital.
The health board has withdrawn a proposed new rota for the key staff at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness following last ditch talks with union officials yesterday.
GMB members will go ahead with a strike ballot later this week – but officials confirmed that the move for direct action has been “suspended”.
The porters had been angry with a proposed new rota, due to be implemented from August 1, which would have involved staff working a 16-week pattern of shifts with seven start times
They currently work an 11-week rota with four different start times.
The union had raised concerns about the rota leaving porters working seven days on for eight out of the 16 weeks.
Staff raised fears that the longer spells would lead to more sick leave because of the physically demanding nature of the job.
Further talks will now be held between the NHS and the GMB about finding a long term solution for the porters, who perform a number of tasks around the hospital including removing deceased patients from wards and moving medical equipment.
Speaking after the meeting, GMB regional organiser Liz Gordon said: “It was a constructive meeting. We have agreed that the rota is to be completely withdrawn as I understood it.
“As a result the strike action has been suspended.”
She confirmed that the strike ballot will go ahead but any action has been suspended, pending further constructive talks.
She said that the porters had been working to a temporary rota for more than a year and that the union was seeking a long term system as well as
NHS Highland’s deputy director of human resources Gaye Boyd said: “There was a very constructive meeting this afternoon between NHS Highland and GMB.
“The outcome of the meeting is that the proposed new shift rota will be withdrawn for now.”
She added that the two sides will meet again on Friday for further talks.
