More than two hundred South London hospital staff to strike over cuts
‘Wards in disarray’ and ‘bad food’ facing three mental health sites for three days
GMB members working for OCS across three hospital sites within South London & Maudsley NHS Trust will take strike action between Wednesday 6 and Friday 8 May.
More than 200 workers are expected to take action, who work in cleaning and catering at Maudsley Hospital, Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Ladywell Unit, Lewisham.
Having been outsourced to OCS, the contract is now facing a proposed 2000 hours of cuts, which represents a drop in service provision of twenty per cent.
There will be picket lines outside each hospital site from 7am tomorrow through until Friday, in what is predicted to be a full stoppage of cleaning and catering services.
Helen O’Connor, GMB Senior Organiser said:
“Vulnerable patients will be coming out of hospital sicker than they went in as OCS refuse to listen to our members’ concerns.
“Our members provide an invaluable service to the Trust and to the public, but OCS management refuse to sit around the table and talk to us.
“How long will OCS allow wards to be left in state of disarray; how long will OCS allow bad food to be served under their governance?
“We are calling on OCS to reinstate all members who have been unfairly dismissed and to stop this brutal slashing and burning of the cleaning and food service across South London and Maudsley.
“If OCS cannot afford to provide services needed for patients, the contract must be taken back in-house.”
ENDS
