South London hospitals next in line for GMB NHS strike action

GMB, the NHS union, will be balloting its members employed by outsourcing conglomerate ISS across South London and Maudsley NHS Trust from today.

The members work as domestics and hostesses across the trust’s hospital sites, which include Maudsley Hospital, Bethlem Royal Hospital, the Ladywell Unit at Lewisham Hospital and Lambeth Hospital.

The staff have previously submitted a pay claim which has been ignored by management.

The dispute therefore centres around pay, but also reflects that the workers are on a number of different contracts and want parity of pay terms and conditions with each other and with NHS colleagues.

Helen O’Connor, GMB Regional Organiser said:

“Hard working GMB members are angry that ISS is failing to recognise the value of the vital services they provide to South London and Maudsley NHS.

“They are sick and tired of ISS taking them for granted and running the service into the ground and are being unexpectedly moved from wards and areas, expected to take on bigger workloads as their pay has plummeted way below the current rate of inflation.

“Many cannot afford to stay in their job roles and ISS is increasingly subcontracting and bringing in agency workers who are treated even worse.

“They want to be valued properly and they know that this will be reflected in their pay and conditions and in the way they are treated and are angry that ISS is kicking their very reasonable pay claim into the long grass.

“GMB is calling on the trust and ISS to invest in meals and cleaning by putting a significant offer on the table so that staff can be retained and services can be protected for the patients within SLaM.”