Strike action this week by cleaners, caterers and other ancillary staff at a south London hospital has been suspended after they were offered a 17per cent pay rise by their outsourcing employers.
GMB members employed by ISS at SLaM, the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, have already taken 13 days of action and were due to strike again for eight days from Thursday.
The strike committee voted unanimously for members to be balloted on the offer with a recommendation that it is accepted.
The strike is suspended to allow for the ballot to take place across the trust’s four sites – Maudsley, Bethlem, Lambeth and the Ladywell Unit, Lewisham.
Helen O’Connor, GMB regional organiser, said: “Our members have come a long way from being ignored and forgotten, which shows that strike action works.
“This pay offer signifies that the domestics and hostesses are finally being heard and taken seriously.
“The offer, if accepted by union members, means that the majority of the workforce would receive a 17per cent pay rise with backpay, plus the covid bonus payment that they missed out on.
“GMB members will have the final say on the offer as we move into a ballot period, but we can confirm that the planned strike action due to begin this Thursday will be suspended while we run the ballot.”
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Well done to the workers involved here and their union representatives! It’s good to see people standing up to protect their living standards and conditions.
Equitable result, they have been underpaid for so long – the 17% goes a long way to redressing that imbalance. It is a shame that common sense was not in the room a lot earlier and those strikes avoided.