Five days of strikes announced at 4 Berkshire hospitals

GMB has announced five days of strike action af four Berkshire hospitals

The has issued notice to NHS Property Services for industrial action during week commencing 29 November at four Berkshire hospital sites where housekeeping, cleaning, catering and car parking services were recently privatised.

NHS Property Services are proposing to change job titles, job specifications and bandings in a planned reorganisation of the entire workforce.

This will result in a weakening of the links to NHS pay rates.

The sites are King Edward VII Hospital, Windsor, Wokingham Hospital, Wokingham, Upton Hospital, Slough and St Marks Hospital, in Maidenhead .

Asia Allison, GMB Senior Organiser, said:

“It’s worth remembering that’s these staff didn’t want to leave the Berkshire Healthcare NHS family for the private sector in the first place.

"They feel abandoned by the Trust, despite having provided a high standard service for many years for them.

"Now they face having their NHS terms and conditions changed by NHS Property services.

"The current proposals are an attempt to circumvent TUPE protection and sever the link to NHS pay bandings.

"It appears this was always NHS Property Services plan.

‘‘Strike action is the last resort, but we must stop this threat to members' pay rates and their other terms and conditions."