Hospital armband protest is banned

Jul 13 2006 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail

THOUSANDS of angry hospital workers facing redundancy have been threatened with disciplinary action if they carry out a protest at work, it emerged today.

Nurses, doctors and other staff at City and Sandwell hospitals plan to wear black armbands next Wednesday to object against up to 800 job cuts at the trust.

But chief executive John Adler has banned the arm bands and warned that any member of staff seen wearing one will be disciplined - which could range from a written warning to suspension.

But Mr Adler said he had asked staff not to wear the bands, not to prevent reasonable protest, but to be sensitive to relatives and patients.

"Black armbands are symbolic of paying respects to the dead," said Mr Adler, who heads Sandwell and West Birmingham Trust, which runs the two hospitals in Winson Green and West Bromwich.

"We are in a hospital setting where, sadly, there are people who we care for who are seriously ill.

"The wearing of black armbands is highly insensitive to the feelings of patients' relatives whose loved ones might actually have died or be very ill."

But trade unions and staff organisations representing workers said staff were disturbed that the chief executive had objected to them mourning the loss of so many jobs.

"This is the second time that Mr Adler has objected to the trade unions demonstrating, mourning the loss not only of 800 jobs but the apparent demise of the NHS," said Judith Whalley, spokeswoman for staff organisations.

"We are saddened by this and thought that even the management could have participated in this action."

Sandwell and West Birmingham Trust announced up to 800 job losses through natural wastage, early retirement and voluntary and compulsory redundancy earlier this year to combat mounting debts.

* Should hospital staff be allowed to wear black armbands in protest? Tell us what you think at www.birminghammail.net/news/yoursay