Ayrshire health workers vote on strike action.

Oct 21 2011 by Lisa Boyle, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

HEALTH workers will vote on whether to take strike action over changes to pensions.

It’s the biggest industrial action ballot in history and thousands of NHS staff in Ayrshire are set to have their say.

UNISON are urging members to vote ‘yes’ to strike action.

It follows months of talks with the government.

Ewing Hope, branch secretary of Unison in Ayrshire, said: “Ministers have refused to move on from the hard line stance to make public sector workers work longer, pay more, and get less when they retire.

“The plans are not about pensions – they are about deficit reduction. All of these changes will go towards paying down the deficit run up by bailing out greedy bankers.”

But he acknowledged that it’s a tough choice for health workers to make.

Mr Ewing continued: “Health workers do their jobs so they can care for the public in their time of need at home or in hospital.

“They know what these services mean to their local community – they do not take the decision to strike lightly.

“But they have been left with little choice. The pension plans are just another way of making public sector workers pay for the recession. And on top of heavy job losses and a pay freeze at a time of high inflation – it is pushing them too far.”

The government wants NHS staff to pay 50 per cent more in pension contributions and work up to 10 years longer in order to receive a pension worth 15 per cent less.

Mr Ewing concluded: “We do not want to harm the public, and we know that we can count on their support. We will be asking them to join our campaign for decent pensions for all workers – public and private sector.”

Health chiefs would not comment on issues surrounding the possibility of the action.

But they gave an assurance to service users should strikes go ahead.

Mark Adderley, executive director of people and organisation development, said: “In preparing for the possibility of any adverse situation including industrial action, NHS Ayrshire and Arran has in place tried and tested contingency plans which would be initiated.”