Hospital workers protest after being offered loans instead of wages - GMB

Workers at St George’s Hospital are to stage a protest after bosses offered to loan them money rather than pay them the wages they are owed.

GMB members employed by Mitie as hostesses and cleaners are angry the outsourcing giant are changing their pay cycles, meaning they will miss two pay dates in April as they move from weekly or two-weekly pay to monthly pay.

Since the workers will now be forced to wait until 11th May for their wages, managers have offered bridging loans to cover the changes.

The protest will take place as follows:

Friday 18 February 2022

10am to 2pm

Blackstock Road Entrance, St George’s Hospital, Tooting, SW17 0QT

Helen O’Connor, GMB Regional Organiser, said:

“Mitie already changed the pay cycle at this site three years ago and workers are angry they are messing around with their pay yet again. They know this will create even more chaos and hardship for themselves and their families.

“The workers are due two pay cheques in April which are now being scrapped – Mitie is offering bridging loans instead.

“These are low paid workers, often living hand to mouth, who kept the hospital running during the pandemic.

“Three of them even lost their lives to covid while most people were locked down at home.

“GMB calls on Mitie to do the right thing and stop messing about with these workers’ pay.

“We also ask St Georges NHS to intervene to resolve this crisis – they have a responsibility for the well-being of any workers based on their properties, whether employed by them or by private companies."