The impact of a strike by cleaners, caterers and porters hired by Serco in Great Western Hospital was minimised, says the Swindon hospital.

The staff are employed by Serco in GWH and were on strike from Monday to Wednesday at 7am over a £1,655 payment they say they are owed by Serco.

But GWH says only a small number of staff voted for the strike, has not experienced any disruption to patient care and has covered staffing during the strike period.

A GWH spokesperson said: “A small number of staff working for Serco, in housekeeping and portering roles at Great Western Hospital, voted in favour of industrial action.

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“While the pay dispute is between Serco and unions including UNISON and GMB, the Trust continues to work closely with Serco to ensure the impact of the strike action on service and care delivery remains minimal.

“We have not experienced any disruption to patient care and have covered staffing during the strike period.”

The 48-hour walkout by caterers, housekeepers, security guards and porters ran from 7am on Monday, November 11 to 7am on Wednesday, November 13.

A wage increase for NHS staff hired by external agencies, like Serco, in June 2023 included two lump-sum payments for the previous financial year (2022/23). 

However, the UNISON union says Serco has refused to pass on the bonuses – worth at least £1,655 – to its Great Western staff leaving them out of pocket when compared with counterparts employed directly by the NHS.

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UNISON South West regional organiser Tom Kennedy-Hughes said: “Serco’s refusal to honour the NHS pay deal is deeply unjust and has left hard-working hospital staff struggling to make ends meet.

“Serco posted profits of more than £249m in 2023, so there’s no justification for denying its employees the same financial recognition as NHS workers. Staff have been left with no choice but to strike”

Serco workers previously took 48 hours of strike action from 7am on September 16 to 7am on September 18.

Serco has said that their funding application to the government for the money was rejected and they are “as disappointed as [staff] are that our NHS funding application for… bonus has not been successful.”

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.

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