Support Unite Barts NHS strike demo & donate to strike fund

 

 

I back Barts strikeNSSN collection sheet - Support Unite Barts Trust NHS strike

Tomorrow Saturday July 15th, hundreds of striking low-paid health workers in the East London Barts NHS Trust will be marching. Speakers include John McDonnell MP Labour Shadow Chancellor. The workers started with two days of action last week and are now in the middle of a 7-day strike. If there is no resolution by July 25th, they will begin a two week strike that day.

Please come and join the solidarity demonstration to support the cleaners, porters and security guards who work for Serco, who are using agency firms to try to break the strike. The whole labour and trade union movement needs to come to their aid.

Email messages of support and pledges of donations to Unite branch secretary Len Hockey [email protected]. Use the poster above to take a photo and post on social media with #BartsStrike

Donate to ‘Branch LE/7384L’   sort code 60-83-01   account number 20344885 – make cheques out to ‘Branch LE/7384L’ and post to Barts NHS Strike Fund, Unite the Union, 33-37 Moreland St, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 8BB

If you can do workplace collections, feel free to use our collection sheet above

Unite strike rally at Royal London July 4th
Unite strike rally at Royal London July 4th

 

Unite: Shadow Chancellor to address health workers fighting against low pay across four London hospitals

What: Rally and march in support of Serco workers on strike
When: Saturday 15 July from 11.30am
Where: Royal London Hospital, Turner Street E1

The Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, John McDonnell MP will show his support for hundreds of low paid cleaners, porters and security guards this Saturday 15 July outside Royal London Hospital in East London.The Shadow Chancellor will express his support for workers employed by Serco at Barts Health NHS Trust who are on strike across four London Hospitals in a campaign against low pay and poor treatment.

The workforce have already taken three days of strike action between 4 July and 7 July and are now on the 5th day of a seven day strike. The workers have warned Barts that they are also prepared to stage a 14 day stoppage starting on 25 July.

Unite representatives will also address the rally which is expected to draw hundreds of people wishing to show solidarity with the workers. The supporters will then march to Mile End Hospital where workers are also on strike.

Unite Regional Officer Ruth Hydon said: “Low paid workers who keep our hospitals clean, safe and running smoothly have shown strength, dignity and determination in their campaign for better treatment. It’s high time that Serco got around the negotiating table to resolve this dispute.

“Unite members working for Serco at Barts are refusing to accept 1 per cent  after seeing their real living standards drop year on year. Support for the workers is growing as more and more people hear about their unjust treatment. There is no defence for a multimillion pound company making low paid workers even poorer – we urge Serco to act now.”

Serco won the £600 million soft services contract for Barts Health NHS Trust last year. The company made a profit of £82 million, and pays its chief executive over £1 million a year. Unite members employed by Serco as domestic staff, porters and security workers at Barts Health NHS Trust want a 30p per hour wage increase but the claim has been rejected by Serco.

Workers also called for a strike ballot because porters at Whipps Cross Hospital are up in arms over Serco’s plans to cut jobs, and to make matters worse Serco has also increased workloads to unsustainable levels for cleaners across the Trust.

http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/shadow-chancellor-to-address-health-workers-fighting-against-low-pay-across-four-london-hospitals/

ENDS

Notes to editors

Unite members were balloted across Whipps Cross University Hospital, Royal London Hospital, St Bartholomew’s Hospital and Mile End Hospital (Newham Hospital is not involved in the strike). Serco posted profits of more than £82 million for 2016 and its contract to provide services to Barts Health NHS Trust is worth £600 million.

For more information please contact Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315

Twitter: @unitetheunion
Facebook: unitetheunion1

 

Read this week’s NSSN e-bulletin no.348: Support PCS fight against DWP office closures

 

NSSN TUC Congress Rally in Brighton: ‘Fight together to scrap the 1% pay cap and get the Tories out!’ – 1pm Sunday September 10th in the Arundel Suite in the Holiday Inn, 137 King’s Rd BN1 2JF. Confirmed speakers: Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary, Steve Gillan POA General Secretary, Ronnie Draper BFAWU General Secretary, Sean Hoyle RMT President and Amy Murphy USDAW Southern Division NEC member. Chaired by Janice Godrich PCS National President – all welcome


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