Pay changes causing health staff concern

Pay changes causing health staff concern

6 July 2016

HEALTH service staff are staging a protest outside the Downe Hospital at lunchtime today over changes to how they are paid.

Catering, portering, telephony, domestic, estates, transport and sewing room staff are angry at plans by the South Eastern Health Trust to pay them monthly instead of weekly from the end of September.

Hospital staff will be joined during today’s protest by health workers who provide domicilary care in the community and those who work in local disability centres who will also be affected by the changes.

Unison official, Marion Ritchie, said the low paid staff are “deeply unhappy” and said the proposed change will affect almost 1,400 employees across the Trust area. She confirmed trade union officials have raised the issue with Stormont Health Minister Michelle O’Neill and criticised health chiefs for not engaging in direct negotiations with Unison.

“The Trust is writing directly to staff by-passing the agreed negotiation framework which we are not happy about. This issue impacts on around 4,500 staff across Northern Ireland’s health trusts except the Western where all employees are already paid monthly,” said Mrs Ritchie. “The move to pay staff monthly instead of weekly is clearly a cost-cutting move.

“Research shows that moving from weekly to monthly pay will have a detrimental effect on staff financially. To add insult to injury, the Trust has proposed providing a loan which when paid back may put staff into debt. None of the affected staff want to move to monthly pay.”

Mrs Ritchie added: “We are urging the Health Minister to intervene to halt this threatened imposition of change which will enable Unison and other trade unions at regional level reasonable time to secure and complete negotiations via membership-led agreement on the disputed pay issues.”

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie plans to raise staff concerns with Trust chief executive, Hugh McCaughey. She said many affected by the change need to be paid weekly and confirmed she plans to quiz Mr McCaughey to determine what consultation has taken place with staff and their trade union representatives.

“This proposal is naturally causing a lot of anxiety, distress and concern for staff who depend on their weekly wage to meet pressing bills and other financial demands. It is also more difficult to budget on a monthly wage and this is causing significant worry for workers,” said the MP.

“It is extremely unfair and unjust that the lowest paid workers in the hospital will be hit by this change. Consideration needs to be given as to how employees will cope during the first month this changeover will take place, as staff will still have to pay bills and living expenses during this period.”

South Down MLA Colin McGrath described the proposed changes to how staff are paid as “unfair” and said the move will leave many in a difficult place, adding: “Many of those impacted are the lowest paid staff in our health service and to change their pay in this manner is unacceptable. I would like to see a solution to this matter soon and a resolution that is acceptable to staff.”

A Trust spokeswoman confirmed that from September, all staff, with the exception of bank staff within the health and social care system, will be paid monthly. She said the change from weekly to monthly is required to ensure payroll arrangements operate more efficiently and effectively.

“The Trust acknowledges that the transition from weekly/fortnightly to monthly pay arrangements 

may be difficult for staff. We are committed to mitigating the impact on staff as a result of the change in pay frequency and have put in place a number of measures to inform and support staff through the process.

“These include the opportunity for staff to attend information sessions where they can ask questions and raise concerns about the planned change; a regular schedule of communication to affected staff to ensure they are continually updated and the development of Frequently Asked Questions to ensure staff are kept fully informed and have an understanding of the potential impact of the move to a monthly pay frequency.”

The spokeswoman said the Trust will also provide an opportunity for staff to receive specific independent financial advice and support from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.

Today’s protest takes place between 1.30pm and 2pm.