Unite members at Addenbrookes Hospital will hold a rally tomorrow (27 May) in their fight for fairer pay.

When: Wednesday 27 May, 12.30 to 1.30pm

Where: Addenbrookes Hospital (Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust), Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ

The medical workers will be calling for an NHS high cost area supplement (HCAS) as part of a wider fight for fairer pay among Unite members in Cambridge.

Workers at the university of Cambridge are also calling for a 'Cambridge weighting’ supplement. Like their university counterparts, medical staff at Addenbrookes, the primary teaching hospital for the university's medical students, receive no extra pay for working in Cambridge.

A recent travel survey commissioned by the hospital trust showed that over 50 per cent of staff are travelling over 10 miles from outside the city to work. High costs are driving workers away from the hospital where they are employed and this means they are far away from the patients that rely on their support.

Unite believes they need to be given the NHS HCAS payment now to enable them afford to live in Cambridge - this payment is given to NHS workers in London and Oxford.

Unite has been carrying out a HCAS campaign and petition, which already has over 1,600 signatures demanding this supplement payment.

The Addenbrookes staff involved in the dispute include those who work as porters, clinical engineering technicians and genomics scientists.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Cambridge is a very expensive city to live in but while the cost of living has risen, workers’ wages have stagnated.

"Our hardworking members who do demanding, important jobs should not be struggling to afford the basics and should be able to live near where they work. Unite completely supports them in their campaign for fair pay."

Over 500 Unite members at the University of Cambridge are in dispute over another below-inflation pay increase and are in support of implementing a high cost area supplement.

The workers, which include estates management, finance, student services and library staff have previously walked out and will now strike until 29 May with picket lines located across the university.

Unite regional officer Richard Gates said: "It is becoming increasingly more expensive to live and work in Cambridge and our members deserve better than the way they are being treated.”

ENDS

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite press officer Natasha Wynarczyk on 07970081524

Email: natasha.wynarczyk@unitetheunion.org