Hospital strikes continue
WORKERS, SEPT 2006 ISSUE
SOME 270 Initial Hospital Services staff employed at Whipps Cross NHS Trust, North East London, all Unison members, were set take a further three days strike action during the August Bank Holiday week as Workers went to press. These will follow on from the five strike days already taken since 21 July.
The dispute is over the failure of the private contractors and the trust to implement the 2003 agreement guaranteeing the introduction of Agenda for Change NHS pay and terms of conditions by April 2006. The introduction of this agreement would be a major step in unravelling the two-tier workforce operating in the NHS and eradicate poverty wages being paid by Initial. Solidarity by the strikers has seen nearly 225 strikers out of the balloted 240 attending picket lines in a disciplined fashion during strike days.
Whipps Cross workers at a lunchtime picket and rally, 21 July.
Recruitment continues among the Initial employees despite a regime of redundancies, cuts in hours and a draconian disciplinary code. Support and solidarity from Unison members employed by the trust has been significant and support from the general public and local community excellent. An 'Open Letter' published by Unison highlights the numerous pledges by senior Trust managers to abide by the 2003 Agreement – now ignored or denied by the Trust.
• In an attempt to raise revenue hospitals in Leeds have doubled car parking charges to £12 a day. Charges for staff are set to rise from £7.50p a month to £21.00p. The increase for patients is effectively a tax on the ill. The increase for staff is a clawing back of wages. The Leeds hospitals claim they subsidise car parking for staff and patients to the tune of £1,000,000, though most hospitals see car parking revenue as a gold mine. The directors of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are on £150,000 per annum. A culling of a dozen directors would go a long way to solving this pernicious tax.