UNISON Challenges NHS Trust Over Failure to Furlough Bank Admin Staff

UNISON members who work as Bank Administrators at University Hospitals of Derby & Burton (UHDB) are no longer employed primarily due to a temporary downturn in elective activity as a result of COVID-19.

UNISON believes that there are 35 staff directly affected and many are UNISON members with years of service.

On 31st of March they were just let go with no access to the Government Job Retention scheme, no return date and crucially no income

UNISON has been trying to work with the employer to arrange Furlough for this group of staff but have not been offered any resolution. Yesterday, Roger Smith (Director of Operational HR and Workforce Integration) stated;

“We continue to seek National guidance from the NHS employers on this subject. We have read the guidance from HMRC issued on 17/4/2020 and discussed this with our legal advisors who feel that the ambiguity remains”

Meanwhile UNISON members face, very uncertain futures.

In essence this group of staff are not being furloughed even though the Trust acknowledges that this has arisen primarily as a result of the COVID-19 situation.

One member has added that; “The trust position makes a mockery of the idea that we are all one team, we are second class citizens.”

Your local Branch is continuing to do all they can to ensure that these valuable workers are supported.

Branch Secretary Sharon Rumin says that;

“The Branch has been urging the employer to do the right thing. These workers should be paid and no one penalised because they are on Bank and not seen to be frontline. They have lost their jobs and are not being furloughed because of COVID-19… It’s not right”

As the COVID-19 virus spreads, find out what your rights at work are here.