PAY campaign hospital staff will be out in East Kilbride this weekend to make the public aware of their dispute.

Workers from Hairmyres Hospital are in an ongoing dispute with contractor ISS over wages they are owed

A 24-hour strike is scheduled from Monday, September 2 until Tuesday, September 3, affecting key services such as cleaning, portering, maintenance, housekeeping and security.

GMB Scotland Organiser Karen Leonard said: “There is no excuse for not paying your staff the wages they have worked for and it is shameful that dedicated NHS Scotland workers are being treated with such contempt.

“We want the public to know that our union has made every effort possible to make ISS do the right thing and we are asking for their support to increase the pressure on the employer with strike action set for the start of next month.” 

The dispute arose after 300 staff received two weeks’ pay for three weeks work in May after ISS brought in its new “Project Greenfield’ payroll model, resulting in fortnightly paid staff waiting an additional week for the receipt of their wages. 

After a summer of fruitless talks, GMB has again contacted the Cabinet Secretary for Health to intervene in the dispute and will call on the public to sign a pledge urging ISS to pay what they owe to staff. 

Ms Leonard added: “What we also want the public to know is that this dispute could be easily avoided if the local health board and the Cabinet Secretary show some leadership and rein-in this rogue contractor – it beggars belief ISS has been allowed to act with such impunity. 

“That’s why our members will campaign hard this weekend and what they will ask the public is simple: Support local staff working on the front line of our NHS and tell ISS to pay what they owe.”

NHS Lanarkshire and ISS have been contacted for comment.