MORE than 200 hospital workers in Buckinghamshire have voted for a ballot on strike action after a two-year dispute over sick pay.

Some cleaning, portering and catering services at Wycombe and Amersham hospitals are contracted to private firm Medirest – but its staff only get statutory sick pay of £79.15 per week.

One porter told the Bucks Free Press there have been occasions when he has gone into work sick, because he cannot afford to take time off. Union leaders say this creates a health risk for patients (see link below).

'In-house' NHS staff by contrast, get full pay for at least one month when sick. NHS sick pay also kicks in immediately, whereas statutory sick pay – the legal minimum – is only payable after three days of illness.

Medirest is part of Compass Group, an international company which runs food and support services in 55 countries. It posted pre-tax profits of £773 million last year.

Steve Bell, the secretary of the Bucks Health Unison branch, said: “I am extremely proud of these members who have been patiently waiting for negotiations to be completed.

“I am disappointed that a large multinational company that employs over 380,000 people can’t find the small sums of money it would cost to resolve this issue. Our branch is fully behind this struggle and will support Medirest workers in as many ways as we can.”

Zosia Katnik, a spokesman for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Amersham and Wycombe Hospitals, said a petition from Unison was considered at a board meeting last month.

She added: “The chairman of the trust will be responding with an outcome following this meeting.”

Katya Heath, a Medirest spokesman said: “We will continue to work closely with the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust following its response to the petition.”

Medirest has 173 employees at Wycombe Hospital and 59 at Amersham.