A PORTER on the picket line at Wycombe Hospital today said bosses 'didn't think he had the bottle' to go on strike.

Dozens of cleaners, porters and catering staff at Wycombe and Amersham hospitals have staged a 48-hour walkout due to a dispute over sick pay. It started at 10am this morning.

One porter, who asked not to be named, said: “This is the first day of the strike and we are sending a message out. The bosses thought we didn't have the bottle to do it.

Another said he has worked in the NHS for 20 years and never been on strike before. He said he is prepared to keep going “for as long as it takes”.

Those on strike are contract workers for private company Medirest, who only get statutory sick pay of £79.15 per week.

'In-house' NHS staff, by contrast get full pay for at least one month when sick. NHS sick pay also kicks in immediately, whereas statutory sick pay – the legal minimum – is only payable after three days of illness.

Workers said Medirest had drafted in staff from London and Watford to fill the positions. Medirest has declined to comment on whether it would bring in relief staff.

Liza Nicklin, representing the workers for the Unison union, said: “It's very unusual to have a strike in Tory Buckinghamshire...it's quite an achievement.”

Roger McKenzie, the assistant general secretary of Unison, was also on the picket line and pointed out that Compass Group, which owns Medirest, has just announced pre-tax profits of more than £1billion.

He added: “These are some of the lowest paid workers in the NHS. If Medirest can't find a few quid for them then what kind of health service have we got?”

The hospitals and Medirest have insisted the strike action will not affect patients' care or services.

Medirest said the terms being demanded by the workers have been implemented across most of its hospital contracts “where the funds have been made available”.

Steve Bell, of Unison, said the hospitals have not made the funds available, creating a stand-off over who should fund the improved terms.

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