Hospital strike leads to cancelled ops

Porters are among those on strike

Almost 600 workers at three hospital sites in the West Midlands are staging a two-day walkout over plans to revamp medical services in the area.

Managers say the disruption has led to the cancellation of about 100 operations.

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

NHS workers, mainly porters, cleaners and catering staff, are opposed to the plans, and say they want to remain in the public sector.

Picket lines are taking place outside Russells Hall, Corbett and Wordsley hospitals.

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

Unison spokesman

Workers say their action is not putting patients at risk, but Paul Farenden, trust chief executive, said the strike had already caused severe disruption.

The trust says the union, Unison, is staging the walkout without the full backing of its members.

But the claim has been denied by union officials.

A Unison spokesman said the trust had given the union little option but to take industrial action.

He said: "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. We are willing to talk to the trust once the industrial action is over."

The vast majority of staff are totally committed to the plans

Paul Farenden, Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust

Mr Farenden said the strike had led to the cancellation of about 100 operations.

He told the BBC: "The vast majority of staff are totally committed to the plans.

"We have 4,500 staff of whom 600 are Unison members, and only 200 of these voted for industrial action. It has placed the trust in an extremely difficult situation."

A trust spokeswoman said contingency plans were in place to keep disruption to a minimum.