GMB Hospital workers protest with BBQ at North Middlesex hospital
GMB Hospital workers protest with BBQ at North Middlesex hospital
The primary purpose of a private contractor like Medirest is profit, everything else is secondary says GMB
Members of GMB are turning up the heat at North Middlesex Hospital and bringing their BBQ out in protest at redundancies and wage cuts made by multi-national hospital contractor Medirest.
Protesters and local supporters will start protesting at 12.00 noon on Thursday 12th O 2017 outside North Middlesex Hospital main entrance on Sterling Way, London, N18 1QX.
Following a takeover by Medirest in June this year porters and domestic staff have complained to their union about Medirest. These complaints include reducing the porter’s number from 71 to 61 and cutting wages by £1,000 from staff, many who are on minimum wage.
One local workers said “I have three children and I am living week to week now, I cannot possibly manage on a £1,000 a year pay cut, we are all angry at the attitude of Medirest”
The protesters, supported by the hospital workers union GMB, will enjoy a BBQ and leaflet the public about the conditions they work under. Many workers say that the poverty pay and additional workloads are not conducive to good patient care.
The protest starts and 12 noon and free burgers will be available courtesy of GMB.
Michael Dooley, GMB local representative said,
“The primary purpose of a private contractor like Medirest is profit, everything else is secondary. Reducing the numbers and working hours of front line staff can only be detrimental to patients. When things go wrong for patients the NHS foot the bill in legal claims. The best option is for the privateers to go and staff employed directly by the Trust.
“GMB will be fighting tooth and nail for our members to take them out of poverty pay and fight wage cuts. The workers do not want to go on strike so we will use other meant to air our grievance such as the series of protests”
ENDS
Contact: Michael Dooley, Michael.dooley@gmb.co.uk on 0777 306 1798
North Middlesex Hospital Chief Executive Libby McManus via Chief Executives office Diana.mohar@nhs.net
