More than 600 workers at Barnsley NHS Trust are voting in an industrial action ballot after the bosses threatened them with fire and rehire.
The trust wants to impose new contracts upon a wide range of staff, including nurses, technicians and clerical workers, removing all paid breaks and imposing longer unpaid breaks which will see staff working extra and longer shifts for no more pay.
A total of 2000 workers are affected, approximately half the workforce - any who reject the change will be sacked and rehired on the worse contract.
The majority of those affected are nursing staff working on the wards. There are concerns that most in these roles will be unable to take their full breaks due to patient care and staff shortages, increasing the likelihood of higher unpaid hours across the trust.
The indicative strike ballot begins Tuesday 27 January and will close on Monday [2 February].
Rachel Dix, GMB Organiser said:
'These frontline NHS workers already work long hours in incredibly stressful jobs.
“This move from Barnsley Trust managers is a demoralising and unfair attack on their terms and conditions.
'GMB members have been absolutely clear they will not accept this attack on their well-earned break times and will stand up to the appalling threat of fire and rehire.'
“It's time for Barnsley Trust to back down on these proposals before hospital services are badly disrupted.”
