Lancashire hospital lab staff strike over holiday pay calculations
Blood sciences staff are striking throughout November because their holiday pay leaves out regular overtime and absence pay.
Salaries · Source: Employee Benefits
What happened
Blood sciences staff at two UK hospitals began a new round of strikes on November 2. They work at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and the Burnley General Teaching Hospital. However, they are employed by and contracted to the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust. The workers say their holiday pay does not include regular overtime and absence pay. This means taking time off effectively cuts their normal earnings.
The strikes will take place in four five-day blocks throughout November. The Unite union represents the workers and says the dispute has been prolonged for months. Unite claims the trust agreed to make a settlement offer but then stopped communicating. The union also states that the trust has refused to engage in arbitration to solve the issue.
The trust says it remains committed to finding a resolution and has engaged constructively. A spokesperson stated that any solution must be supported by evidence, be fair to the wider workforce, and represent value for public money. The trust also noted it had to outsource work to external providers and NHS partners to maintain testing capacity. They urged the union to reinstate exemptions that allow staff to work in critical services during strikes to protect patient safety.
By the numbers
- £1 million — Amount the trust has spent on outsourcing to cover striking workers
- £60,000 — Weekly cost of outsourcing according to the Unite union
- November 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27 — Dates of the planned strike blocks
Why it matters
This dispute highlights how complex payroll structures can impact actual take-home pay. Job seekers evaluating offers need to look beyond the base rate. You must understand exactly how overtime, bonuses, and paid time off interact in your final contract. When a company calculates vacation pay using only the minimum base hours, workers who regularly put in extra time lose money just by taking a break.
The trust is spending heavily on temporary cover rather than settling the core dispute. Unite notes the trust has spent over one million pounds on outsourcing so far, which breaks down to sixty thousand pounds per week. This shows how employers sometimes absorb high short-term contractor costs during labor disputes instead of changing their permanent payroll formulas. It is a clear reminder that contract negotiations often stall over administrative systems rather than just the total budget.
Who this hits
Healthcare contractors
Workers contracted to separate trusts can face complex payroll rules. These staff work at specific hospitals but are managed by a different administrative trust, complicating their pay negotiations and daily operations.
Hourly and overtime workers
Employees who rely on regular overtime are directly impacted by how holiday pay is calculated. If paid time off only covers the base rate, taking a vacation results in a lower paycheck for that period.
Temporary cover staff
External providers and contractors are stepping in to handle the testing capacity. The trust is relying on these outsourced workers to keep critical services running during the November strike dates.
What to do this week
- Ask the recruiter or hiring manager exactly how paid time off is calculated if your role includes regular overtime.
- Read your employment contract carefully to see if your holiday pay is based only on a basic rate or your average total earnings.
- Check if your employer uses complex contracting structures, such as being employed by a separate trust or holding company.
- Clarify in writing how absence pay is handled before you accept a job offer that requires frequent extra shifts.
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My take
I always tell job seekers to read the fine print on their compensation packages. A base salary is only part of the story if you depend on overtime to make ends meet. You need to know exactly what happens to your paycheck when you take a well-deserved break.