"I joined GMB because I wanted fair pay"

On this page

More NHS News

My name's Catia and I work for a private contractor in the linen store at a hospital in South East London.

I love my job, delivering a service for the patients and being an integral part of the NHS is so important to me.

Watch Catia feature in our Building a 21st Century Union film

We work hard in our roles but unfortunately my colleagues and I aren't paid the same as other NHS workers because we aren't directly employed by the NHS.

The company we work for wasn't listening, not seeing that we should be valued equally to others working in our NHS.

"Being in GMB means we're stronger by standing together, an experience I found so empowering."

Catia Chanca

Me and my colleagues knew we were going to have to fight for fair pay. We joined the GMB and went on strike to demand a pay increase which we won.

We will keep on fighting for fair pay because we know the job we do keeps the hospital functioning - being a part of GMB is essential if we want to carry on the fight.

Catia

Not a member? Join today

Latest news from GMB Union

25 Jun 2020

GMB in fight to save 200 Dunlop jobs

Yet another massive company is chopping the legs out from under its workers says GMB Union

24 Jun 2020

Hello -I’m a non-binary person!

Hello -I’m a non-binary person! What does that mean? It means I do not identify as male or female. I fit somewhere in the middle of the gender spectrum. I identify outside the binary definitions of 'man' or 'woman'.

24 Jun 2020

Arlington Automotive boot disabled workers 'out the door'

Arlington Automotive has landed in hot water yet again over failure to properly support more than 50 disabled workers it has sacked.

Arlington’s employees, who were transferred over from the now-defunct government scheme Remploy, were told to try and claim their redundancies off the government instead.

23 Jun 2020

Intersectional Me

I joined the GMB when I was working at a private secure hospital for people with learning disabilities, but at time I really didn’t feel like unions were that relevant to people like me.

But now, at 52, as a Black, disabled, gay woman, working for a mental health nhs trust, I’m proud that both my union and my employer are constantly striving to champion equality in the workplace.

23 Jun 2020

Just a ball game?

I’ve been campaigning for safe and inclusive spaces in sport most my life and for the last 10 years heading up JUST A BALL GAME? (JBG?) but am acutely aware of how far we have to go on homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, both in sports and in working life.

23 Jun 2020

A short history to shout about! – GMB LGBT+ self organised groups

I joined GMB on the first day when I started with my employer 15 years ago, as someone passionate about trade unionism I thought it was important to be an active member and have never looked back.

23 Jun 2020

Being out at work when you are Young, Bisexual and a woman

My first day at my new workplace was nerve racking enough as it was. Meeting new people and trying to fit into a new place is always underlined by one fear- how will people react to knowing I am bisexual? When someone asked me how I was getting home, I awkwardly replied “my gir- my friend is picking me up.” I just simply didn’t feel comfortable talking about my partner until I had weighed up what kind of people my new colleagues were and get a feeling for how they might react.

12 Jun 2020

Blood without bias

GMBWSW Shout! members are looking to change the outdated law that prohibits gay men from donating blood withing 3 months of having sexual intercourse

11 Jun 2020

Northampton General Hospital orders Coronavirus-positive staff back to work

Forcing people back into work like this puts workers, their families and the entire community at risk

250 jobs to go at Churchill China after Corona crash

We will keep fighting every day to support our members throughout the crisis says GMB Union

Search form

Popup