GARRY MALLAR is a Unite shop steward representing hospital porters in their third week of strike action.

The 117 workers, based at the Ninewells and Royal Victoria hospitals in Dundee, are paid between £1,500 and £2,000 less than colleagues doing the same jobs in NHS Tayside and across NHS Scotland.

Despite being rated as NHS Band 2 workers by three different panels when Agenda for Change was brought in — the NHS grading and pay system — NHS Tayside put the question to a fourth “moderation” panel which put them into Band 1 and much lower wages.

Management insists that the evaluation followed proper procedures and was conducted in “partnership” with “staff-side representatives.”

But requests for a copy of any local agreement on the process or even minutes of the meeting where the process was agreed have proven futile.

“Unite have been fantastic and we’ve worked with the union through every legal option available. Going on strike was our last resort,” Mr Mallar says.

“Without the porters, the hospital is struggling. Nurses and doctors can’t wait to have us back, but they’ve offered us outstanding support on the picket lines.

“We’ve held rallies outside the hospital and in Dundee city centre and the feedback from the public has been great.

“But at the moment we’re still getting nowhere. We’re going to keep this dispute going until we get a compromise out of NHS Tayside.”