Pay deal reached with North London pathology staff

The workers from Health Services Laboratory had gone on strike last month, reports Finn Logue

North Middlesex University Hospital

North London pathology staff who went on strike last month will now receive improvements to their pay, grading system and training.

The decision to strike by over 1,000 staff employed by Health Services Laboratory (HSL) has helped secure an average pay increase of 15.4% over two years, along with other policies such as additional annual leave.

The industrial action was supported by Unite the Union, which represented staff at North Middlesex, Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals, amongst others.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Staff should be congratulated on this terrific victory and securing a pay award they fully deserve

“Let this stand as a warning to any private sector NHS provider who thinks they can get away with short-changing our members. Unite wins for workers and is coming for you.”

HSL is an independent, private company that provides pathology and diagnostic services to NHS hospitals. Their staff provide over 70% of diagnostic services across seven NHS hospitals in North London.

Staff employed by HSL raised concerns about their high workload endangering the safety of both themselves and their patients. These concerns were championed by Unite, which claimed that they were often doing work far above their pay grade as a result of being outside of the NHS. Up until now, HSL did not work to NHS pay grading scales.

Following the dispute, HSL has agreed to consult Unite on all new and existing contracts worth over £1m to determine workload and safe staffing levels.

After their industrial action proved successful, staff were awarded sick pay, the introduction of special leave, two additional days of annual leave, a new and fair selection process for training to be overseen by Unite reps, and the confirmation that staff moving from NHS contracts to work for HSL will keep their pensions within the legal entity and receive £2,500 compensation.

Unite regional officer Maz Ebrahim added: “[The staff] had the full backing of the union in their dispute, and have now won an above-inflation pay award alongside new conditions that are a just reward for doing a skilled and valuable role.”

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