Unite Union Announces Strikes at East Lancashire Hospitals Over Holiday Pay Dispute

Biomedical scientists and laboratory staff at Blackburn and Burnley hospitals are set to take industrial action this summer following a long-standing dispute regarding holiday pay. The Unite union announced that its members, who provide critical blood testing services, claim they are owed thousands of pounds in backdated payments. The strike, scheduled to impact the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, follows failed negotiations over how holiday pay is calculated for staff who perform regular overtime.

Why are staff at East Lancashire Hospitals striking?

The core of the dispute involves the calculation of holiday pay for staff members who work consistent overtime. According to the union, the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has failed to include regular overtime payments when calculating holiday pay, a practice the union argues breaches employment standards and leaves workers out of pocket. Unite regional officer Keith Hutson stated that staff have been underpaid for years and that the trust has refused to provide a satisfactory resolution to rectify these historical arrears.

This dispute mirrors similar legal and industrial battles across the National Health Service (NHS), where unions have pushed for holiday pay to reflect “normal pay,” including overtime and unsocial hours payments. The trust maintains that it is working within the bounds of the national NHS Agenda for Change pay framework, though it has acknowledged the ongoing discussions with labor representatives.

What is the impact on patient services?

The planned industrial action threatens to disrupt blood testing and pathology services at both Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and Burnley General Teaching Hospital. These departments are essential for diagnosing conditions, monitoring chronic illnesses, and supporting surgical procedures. While the trust is legally required to maintain emergency services, a strike by specialized biomedical scientists typically forces the cancellation of routine outpatient tests and elective surgeries.

Patients with upcoming appointments are advised to monitor official communications from the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. Historically, during laboratory strikes, trusts implement “business continuity plans,” which prioritize urgent samples while delaying non-essential diagnostics. The extent of the disruption depends on the number of staff participating and the duration of the walkouts.

How does this dispute compare to national NHS trends?

The situation in Lancashire is part of a broader trend of industrial unrest within the NHS, though it is specifically focused on technical payroll calculations rather than the general pay disputes that dominated national headlines in 2023 and 2024. While national strikes were primarily centered on inflation-linked pay awards, the East Lancashire dispute is a localized grievance concerning the implementation of existing payroll policies.

What happens next in the negotiations?

As of this summer, the union has signaled that the mandate for strike action remains active. The next steps involve further conciliation meetings between Unite representatives and the trust’s human resources department. For a strike to be averted, the trust would need to provide a formal proposal to backdate the holiday pay adjustments, a move that could set a precedent for other departments or trusts facing similar payroll queries.

Key Takeaways

• The Parties: Unite the union members versus East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.
• The Cause: Failure to include overtime in holiday pay calculations, leading to alleged wage arrears.
• The Scope: Laboratory and blood testing services at Blackburn and Burnley hospitals.
• The Status: Industrial action is planned for the summer, with potential disruption to routine diagnostics.