GMB union secures wage increase for cleaners in Kingston hospital
If workers are willing to get organised and work with their union, they can take on their bosses and win - even during a global pandemic, says GMB
GMB, the union for hospital staff, have successfully secured a sizable pay rise for their members who work as cleaners at Kingston Hospital. These hospital workers have been outsourced from the NHS and are now employed by a private company, ISS.
Following a brief but successful campaign led by GMB reps, ISS have agreed to raise the hourly wages for cleaners, porters and catering staff in Kingston Hospital by a further 15p an hour to £10.75 per hour. This means that these workers are now being paid the real London Living Wage.
This pay rise is the latest in a series won by the GMB members at Kingston Hospital, through collective trade union activity. During 2018-2019 a wave of union protests outside the hospital resulted in wages being raised by 6% over the course of six months.
Helen O’Connor, GMB Regional Organiser, said:
“Our members made huge sacrifices coming into a hospital environment during the Covid-19 pandemic and they demanded to be rewarded by ISS.
“A petition launched by GMB reps attracted more than a hundred signatures and GMB has been informed that this led directly to senior management arriving on site and making a quick decision to raise the workers’ pay.
“The collective action by our brave reps and members proves that if workers are willing to get organised and work with their union, they can take on their bosses and win - even during a global pandemic.”
