CLINICAL support workers at Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH) have started four weeks of strike action today (Wednesday, January 3).

Hundreds of staff members began their walkout at 7am at Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge hospitals. The action comes after a failure to come to an agreement on pay with trust bosses.

Union Unison said support workers should be paid “at least” £2,000 more each year for performing duties and tasks “well above” their pay grade.

Clinical support workers on band 2 of the NHS’s Agenda for Change pay scale should only be providing personal care such as bathing and feeding. 

However, the union has said most workers at Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge hospitals have been routinely undertaking clinical tasks, such as taking and monitoring blood, performing electrocardiogram tests and inserting cannulas.

Strikes were paused in November following an agreement between the trust and the union on the date affected staff should benefit from backpay.

However, workers began striking again in November, after a disagreement over the number of people entitled to back pay and regrading. 

Today’s strike begins the longest period of action so far, with support workers taking action every weekday up to and including Friday, January 26. 

It is the first time a strike by the Wirral support workers has coincided with a walkout by junior doctors, who will stop work until Tuesday (January 9).

Unison regional organiser David McKnight said: “Staff are disappointed the trust has given with one hand and taken away with the other. They’ve been forced into this regrettable strike action, at the same time as doctors. 

“The Wirral workers feel betrayed after agreeing a date with the trust, only for the trust to tell hundreds of them they’re not eligible. 

“This is no way to treat loyal staff, especially when neighbouring trusts have made significantly better offers. 

"Trust CEO Janelle Holmes and Chair David Henshaw have allowed this dispute to go on for too long. It's time they did the right thing for patients and hardworking CSWs."

A spokesperson from Wirral University Teaching Hospital said: “We are really disappointed that UNISON are continuing strike action, despite significant progress in recent talks with ACAS and our agreement to their key demand of a back date of pay to 2018.

“We have always said that we will pay workers for the work that they undertake and this pledge has not changed.

“Unfortunately, UNISON are continuing to request that we implement a backpay framework to CSWs, whose duties would not, under the NHS Agenda for Change job evaluation scheme, increase their banding and pay.

“At UNISON’s request we took advice from NHS Employers, who agreed our position was in line with the national Agenda for Change framework.

“As our offer is in line with national terms and conditions, we are disappointed that UNISON have declined to put our offer to their members to vote and are continuing to take action throughout January 2024.

“We continue to be open to discussions with UNISON regarding the CSW dispute and remain committed to finding a resolution.”