Health workers strike at major London hospital trust over ‘poverty-level’ wages

Nearly 300 healthcare workers at a London hospital trust are striking over “poverty-levels” of pay. Cleaners, porters, store operatives and food service assistants will head to the picket lines on Monday following a row over workplace conditions and low wages, accusing Guys and St Thomas's Trust of failing to address the complaints.Unite the union says the NHS band two workers in central London earn just £15.89 per hour, while performing some of the toughest roles in the hospital. Staff have a number of long-running complaints that the trust’s management have failed to address, the union claims. This includes accusations of racist and bullying behaviour by facilities management, as well as issues over bank contracts, hours, a failure to provide safety equipment for security staff and adequate welfare facilities such as showers or changing rooms. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust say negotiations are currently ongoing, adding that pay levels are not set by the Trust but by the wider NHS. Strike action will take place between Monday, October 19 and Wednesday October 21.Staff will gather at the picket line outside St Thomas’ Hospital on MondayPA ArchiveFurther strikes are planned for the Autumn if management do not return to the negotiating table, Unite says. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Guys and St Thomas's is one of the country's biggest NHS trusts but is treating its staff with utter disdain. They cannot survive living in London on poverty-level wages."Our members are the backbone of the hospital - keeping it clean, feeding patients and staff or keeping the public safe - but they are paid barely above the minimum wage. This cannot continue and they have the full support of their union in this dispute."Striking workers will also march on Downing Street to express their anger directly to politicians in this latest round of industrial action. Read MoreAnd workers have pledged to strike again in the New Year if their concerns are not addressed.Here’s a breakdown of the scheduled strike action:Monday, October 19: Picket line - 7am to 10.30am at St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge EntranceTuesday 20 October: Picket line - 7am to 10:30am at Guy's Hospital, St Thomas Street, opposite the ShardWednesday 21st October: Picket line - 7am to 10:30am at St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road entrance, including a 10.30am march from St Thomas’ Hospital to 10 Downing Street.Unite lead health officer for London, Tabusam Ahmed, said: "It is heartbreaking to hear the struggles of these workers in their work places including having to put up with bullying and disrespect. “Alongside multiple other failures of management, our members have been left with no option but to take strike action. "The trust has the power to resolve our pay dispute and work with Unite to build a culture of dignity and respect. “This dispute will inevitably have a huge impact on service delivery across the trust, but this is entirely of the trust’s own making."A spokesperson for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust said: “It is unfortunate that Unite has called these strikes in the middle of ongoing negotiations.“We would urge them to call off this action so we can continue making progress on a fair deal for our highly valued staff.”