Members of the Society of Radiographers have begun 48 hours of strikes due to a dispute with the government over pay, recruitment and retention.
The action, which involves 37 NHS trusts where members have a mandate to strike, will last from 8am today (Tuesday 25 July) to 8am on Thursday 27 July. Members in trusts including the Royal Marsden, University College London Hospitals, Liverpool University Hospitals and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, are among those on strike.
They have asked for more pay now and a review of the 5% pay offer they previously received from ministers, funding to aid recruitment and retention, support for long-term pay restoration, and better working conditions.
Members voted to reject the 5% pay award and called for talks to reopen after other public sector workers were offered a higher amount. The union then sent a letter to affected NHS trusts earlier this month about planned strike dates, after ministers ruled out further talks while industrial action was proposed.
During the action, representatives from each trust will provide life and limb cover for patients, which will be the same staffing levels that are provided on a bank holiday.
Dean Rogers, executive director of industrial strategy and member relations at the Society of Radiographers, said: “Voting for strike action is never easy. Going out on strike will be even more difficult for our members, who care above all about the safety and wellbeing of their patients. The society had been seeking meaningful discussions with the government without success, since starting their industrial action ballot across England.
“The government acknowledged our concerns but made no concrete proposals. They have now indicated they will not talk any further while industrial action is proposed, something we find regrettable for staff, patients and future industrial relations. Strike action is a last resort. But our members believe they have no alternative, because the government won’t take the action needed to address their concerns.”
