Great Western Hospital could be hit by strikes in pay row

Staff employed by Serco at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust unanimously backed strike action on Thursday, August 22, over a pay dispute.

The union says workers are being denied a pay rise of at least £1,655 that has been paid to other NHS workers doing similar work.

The industrial action would affect Great Western Hospital in Swindon. Strike dates are yet to be announced.

However, Serco says that it cannot pay them due to a funding application being rejected, and they are as “disappointed” as the staff.

In 2023, the government agreed to fund one-off payments to healthcare staff at non-NHS organisations of £1,655 for the previous financial year.

These were for organisations with contracts to deliver NHS services, who employ their staff on dynamically linked Agenda for Change contracts.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said at the time: “While these staff are contractually eligible for the payments, the independent organisations are responsible for making them.”

The government made funding available to organisations to help with these payments.

UNISON says Serco is refusing to honour this payment for its workers in Swindon, despite similar workers at different companies have been given the payment following strikes.

Earlier this year, healthcare workers working in community hospitals for Wiltshire Health and Care and Sodexo in North Devon were awarded the £1,655 lump sum after several days of strike action.

UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy.

However, Serco says that their funding application to the government was rejected.(Image: Archant © 2007)

A Serco spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that UNISON members have voted for strike action at Great Western Hospital.

“Serco has a great relationship with our colleagues and UNISON at the hospital and we are as disappointed as they are that our NHS funding application for the non-consolidated Agenda for Change bonus has not been successful.  

“We will continue to work with Unison to find a mutually acceptable outcome to this issue.”

But a UNISON spokesperson argued that, given Serco’s profits, it should be able to pay the bonus.

UNISON South West regional manager Jayne Jackson said: “All NHS workers deserve to be paid fairly for the work they do.

“Serco’s refusal to honour the NHS bonus has left hospital staff with no alternative but to vote for strike action.

“With an operating profit of more than £249 million for 2023, the company can easily afford to pay. It’s simply unjust that hard-working and low-paid NHS workers should have to take industrial action to get the money they’re entitled to and deserve.

“It’s not too late for Serco to think again and avoid disruption. It should play fair and pay its staff properly.”

A Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “A total of 59 Serco company staff working in housekeeping and portering at the Great Western Hospital have voted in favour of industrial action.

“Whilst the pay dispute is between Serco and UNISON, the Trust is working closely with Serco to ensure that the impact of the strike action on service and care delivery remains minimal.”

To qualify for the funding, organisations needed to show they have been negatively financially impacted by the pay deal for healthcare workers, and that their staff are employed on dynamically linked Agenda for Change contracts.

Agenda for Change is the pay system for NHS staff in the UK, except doctors, dentists, and some senior managers. It aims to standardise pay, terms, and conditions across the NHS.

The goal is to ensure equal pay and working conditions for a range of jobs and skills.

UNISON’s ballot of Serco workers closed at 10am on Wednesday 21 August and 100% of those who voted backed strike action.

More recently, the Labour government decided to award NHS staff in England a 5.5% pay rise. This will be added to their October pay packet, along with the 6 months of back pay.