More than 200 essential hospital workers at Airedale Hospital will walk out for seven days from tomorrow [20 January] in a dispute over being denied access to the NHS pension scheme.

• Where: Airedale Hospital, Steeton, West Yorkshire, BD20 6TD
• When: From 7 - 10am daily on 20 - 26 January 2026
• Who: Joe Wheatley on 07958053288

The workers, including porters, domestic, catering staff, security personnel and other frontline roles, are employed by AGH Solutions (AGHS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust.

Despite delivering vital services inside an NHS hospital, these staff do not receive access to the NHS pension scheme.

GMB members argue that workers delivering NHS work deserve NHS pensions and are taking industrial action to secure parity with directly employed NHS colleagues.

Following industrial action taken by workers last year, progress has been made in other areas to align AGHS staff terms and conditions with NHS standards since outsourcing in 2018, but the issue of pension inequality remains unresolved.

Joe Wheatley, GMB Organiser, said:

“Our members are being treated as second‑class workers in their own hospital.

“Staff who work shoulder‑to‑shoulder with NHS colleagues should have access to the same pension scheme, full stop.

“Airedale bosses have a simple choice, recognise the fairness of the claim and negotiate a solution, or continue forcing dedicated hospital workers to take industrial action to be treated equally.”

Media enquiries: GMB Press Office on 07958 156846 or at [email protected]