Christmas picket for health workers

Hospital porters oppose plans to privatise jobs

Hundreds of health workers will mount a picket line on Christmas Day to protest against plans to "sell off" their jobs.

The Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust is planning to transfer jobs to the private sector in an £80m modernisation of the area's health services.

But porters, cleaners, catering and security staff at Russells Hall, Corbett and Wordsley hospitals in Dudley, West Midlands, are opposed to the plans.

They will remain on strike until the New Year.

We don't want to do this, we are hard workers and we know this will affect patients

Unison

Unison health officer Bob Abberley said: "There is no doubt that Christmas will be a tough time for the strikers.

"They are more used to working over the holiday and New Year, cooking dinners, cleaning wards and making hospitals secure for staff and patients.

"The Dudley workers are taking a stand for their hospital and patients.

"The staff joined the NHS and are committed to the service."

Industrial action

Around 600 Unison members have been taking industrial action since August.

A Unison spokesman said the trust had given the union little option.

"We don't want to do this, we are hard workers and we know this will affect patients.

"We are committed workers but we want to do our jobs in the NHS and not in the private sector."