NHS Highland staff, who are part of the union, gave a 15-minute protest during lunchtime in order not to disrupt patient care.

Members took action in a bid to get the government to restart negotiations over the pay deal which is below the current rate of inflation and promises two further years of below-inflation pay rises.

Unite representative for NHS Highland Ian Brown said it's a chance to highlight the deal to the members of the public.

He said: "We balloted for industrial action when the three-year deal was floated by the government, because at that time, interest rates were nearly at 5 per cent.

"We accept that they have come down, and tax has lowered, but these are just temporary measures.

"What we are concerned about is that the pay deal works out at 7.99 per cent over three years, and for us, that is effectively a pay cut, when you take into consideration tax and inflation rates in three years time."

He added: "We would have been much happier with a two-year deal, this would mean that we could have re-assessed the situation after three years. Today is about making all NHS staff and all members of the public aware of the situation and to not let it go unnoticed."

Unite's Joint General Secretary, Derek Simpson said: "I am pressing for an urgent meeting with Gordon Brown where I will raise the whole sorry saga of the government's negative attitude to public sector pay, with particular reference to our NHS members."

j.macculloch@highland-news.co.uk

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