Healthcare workers at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General Hospitals have reached their 200th day of strike action in a continuing dispute over pay and grading.
The Unison members, who work as phlebotomists taking blood samples from patients, have been on strike since March. The union says staff have taken on additional duties without fair recognition or pay, and are calling for their roles to be regraded.
Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said hospital management had “allowed this dispute to drag on for 200 days,” describing it as “a scandal.”
“They must pay up now and show the phlebotomists the respect they deserve for the skilled work they do,” she said. “These dedicated NHS staff help diagnose illnesses and keep services running smoothly. They didn’t want to strike but were left with no choice after years of being underpaid and ignored.”