This is the last article you can read this month
You can read more article this month
You can read more articles this month
Sorry your limit is up for this month
Reset on:
Please help support the Morning Star by subscribing here
HUNDREDS of cleaners and UVW members have won their battle for full NHS contracts at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) agreed today to pay its cleaners the same Agenda for Change terms and conditions as all other NHS staff receive.
The agreement averted a planned two-day strike which was set for next week.
The cleaners did not receive overtime and unsociable working hours payments or pay for working overnight, evening and weekend shifts, worth thousands of pounds a year, that other hospital workers received.
The hospital originally threatened the cleaners’ union UVW with an injunction when served with the notice of the intended strike. But after intense last-minute negotiations between the two sides, an agreement was reached.
UVW member Memuna Kabia, a cleaner at the hospital, said: “We are all so happy. Our lives are going to change so much because now we know we are fully GOSH employees and it’s permanent.
“No more humiliation and bullying for us. No more disrespect. It means a lot to us.”
Ms Kabia said: “Thumbs up to UVW. We had nothing until UVW came to help us, so thank you UVW for all you’ve done for us.”
UVW general secretary Petros Elia hailed it as “another massive UVW win at GOSH” and praised the determination of the workers.
He said: “Our members will never tolerate being treated as second class by GOSH or any employer, and we will fight for as long as it takes and with everything it takes until dignity and equality are guaranteed.”
GOSH chief executive Mat Shaw said: “I’m delighted that every one of our domestic services colleagues will have the opportunity to be on full agenda for change terms and conditions” and they “will have access to all the benefits received by other NHS staff.”
Mr Elia said he now expected GOSH “to do the right thing” for its security guards who have been on strike for weeks now and still only get statutory sick pay.
Security guards at GOSH are currently taking six weeks of strike action. They are now the only workers at the hospital who are outsourced and not on full NHS contracts.
