Porters at Ninewells Hospital could be due millions of pounds after an administrative “bungle” left them underpaid for 10 years, it has been claimed.
The hospital could be liable for £6 million in back pay after the essential staff were mistakenly put in a lower pay bracket, according to the Unite union. Unite, who are representing the workers, hope to reach an amicable solution over the missing pay but have threatened industrial action if NHS Tayside does not adequately compensate the porters.
Such an action could potentially grind the busy hospital to a virtual halt and leave patients stranded.
Colin Cooper of Unite said he wanted compensation for the injustice suffered by the estimated 150 porters.
He said: “The porters had been valued at grade X and should in fact have been on grade Y.
“It was just an administrative bungle.
“If they were underpaid and there is evidence that points in that direction then there is a hefty back pay bill.
“We have estimated that bill at a total of £6 million.
“Based on what the porters were asked to do it was clear what their pay should have been,” he added.
Mr Cooper said the error occurred during a national pay evaluation 10 years ago and specifically affected front door porters.
It is not known how much each individual porter could be liable to receive, given issues of overtime and festive season cover, for instance.
“The process was carried out 10 years ago. The pay brackets are not accurate now and everyone can see that,” Mr Cooper said.
“Myself and the branch secretary met with Lesley McLay, the chief executive of NHS Tayside, late last week. That meeting was a follow-up to a previous meeting where we showed the anomaly to them.
“Clearly, if their position is that everything was right 10 years ago and is still right now then there is a problem. If this is not resolved, we would face industrial action.
“But that is not certain there is a discussion to ensue first.”
A spokesman for NHS Tayside said, “Unite have raised an issue with NHS Tayside regarding the banding of porters under Agenda for Change.
“This matter is currently under consideration.”