Cleaners, caterers, security guards and other workers at a hospital in Reading are on strike over pay.
Staff have taken to the picket line outside Prospect Park Hospital in West Reading as their employer is ‘refusing’ to pay a one-off sum which has already been paid to their colleagues.
The staff are employed by facility management company ISS, which has been contracted by the Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust which runs the hospital.
In June 2023, a deal was agreed for all staff on NHS contracts and Agenda for Change pay scales. This included a one-off payment for 2022/23 of at least £1,655.
However, unions have said ISS is refusing to pay, which has resulted in these employees earning far less than their colleagues directly employed by the NHS and doing similar work.
So far, strikes have taken place on Thursday and Friday last week and again yesterday, with further action set to take place on March 8, March 13, and March 14 .
According to Amandeep Singh, a domestic healthcare assistant who has joined the strike, the action last Friday was attended by 61 staff.
Workers on strike are members of the UNISON trade union, the UK’s largest union, which boasts 1.3 million members and represents those working in public services.
Patrick Kenny , UNISON South East regional organiser said: “Staff care deeply about patients and services. The last thing they want to do is strike, but ISS has forced them into this situation.
“They are an essential part of the NHS team, delivering outstanding services for patients, and deserve to be paid the same as other NHS staff for the vital work they do.
“ISS can stop the strike action and end the dispute in an instant if it pays the lump sum its staff deserve.”
The strike action is likely to continue, as the ISS has so far not acceded to the demands of union members.
A spokesperson for ISS UK said: “We are disappointed this industrial action has gone ahead.
“ISS employees are outside the scope of the Government’s NHS benefit provisions, including the lump sum payment, but we will continue engaging in constructive dialogue with Unison toward a resolution and keeping our valued ISS employees updated.
“We have robust plans in place to ensure service continuity at the impacted site.”
