Croydon University Hospital workers have today [Monday 18 September] begun voting on strike action.
Cleaners, caterers and porters, employed by outsourcing giant G4S, demand full NHS pay, terms and conditions and for all pay rises NHS staff have received to be passed on to them.
The ballot, which closes on 2 October, could see a mass walkout of domestics and porters at the hospital.
Helen O’Connor GMB Organiser, said;
“Our members who are mostly migrant workers have had enough of being treated less favourably than all of the other staff directly employed by the NHS.
“They smashed a strike ballot threshold before and they are ready to do so again.
“Workers outsourced to G4S lose out on NHS pay rises, sick pay, holidays and additional pay for working weekends.
“They are angry that they continue to suffer hardship in this cost of living crisis while G4S and the Croydon NHS Trust turn a blind eye.
“To add insult to injury these low paid worker are bearing the brunt of cutbacks as the overtime they rely on is being cut back too.
“Our members are demanding equal pay for equal work and an end to outsourcing which they see as an institutionally racist practice.
“They are likely to strike in large numbers until their demands have been met “
