Porters strikes at Southampton General Hospital over 'bullying and harassment' suspended

Some porters at the NHS Trust which runs Southampton General Hospital were to go on strike today over claims of "bullying and harassment".

Those strikes involving more than 60 porters have been suspended following extensive talks at the conciliation service Acas.

Unite the Union say the talks have made progress on the issues affecting the workers and as an act of good faith, the porters’ Union Unite agreed to suspend today’s strike and to allow for further talks.

The Union claimed hospital porters are subjected to restricted toilet breaks and are denied rest breaks to sit down and drink water.

A Unite spokesperson said: "Following last-minute talks at Acas, Unite has agreed to suspend today’s strike action.

"This was made as an act of good faith and to allow hospital management to resolve the outstanding issues that have created this dispute."

"If the hospital management fails to agree to take action to resolve the problems at the heart of the dispute then strike action on each Friday and Monday beginning on 6 December and running throughout December and January will go ahead as planned."

The University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said "there isn’t, and never has been, a requirement for any member of our staff to ask permission to take a bathroom break" with porters "actively encouraged to stay hydrated using any of the water cooler facilities" throughout its hospitals.

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