Hospital picnic protests spread to Hammersmith
GMB hold protest picnic today outside Hammersmith Hospital over poverty pay
These protests are to draw attention to the poor wages and obtain increases in pay rather than to go on strike at the hospitals, but the workers understand they may have to go on strike if their wages are not increased, says GMB London
Many hundreds of workers in West London have joined in the Picnic Protests against poor wages, taking place recently in Paddington St Mary's and Charing Cross Hospital in Fulham.
This time Hammersmith Hospital porters and cleaners will be outside the main entrance holding a protest picnic. Details of the protest are as follows:
Friday 19 July
3:30 PM
Hammersmith Hospital
Du Cane Road
London
W12 0HS
The Porters, cleaners and domestic staff who work for French Multi National facilities giant Sodexo will be outside the hospital letting the public know all about how they are treated. The picnic protest is a novel way to highlight what their trade union GMB call Poverty Pay at Hammersmith Hospital.
Many of Sodexo workers are paid the minimum wage and the company refuse to pay any additional wages. GMB have been told that there may be a pay increase next year however the workers say they cannot spend a promise and have been living on the minimum wage for too long and need their wages increased this year.
Picnic protests include soft drinks, low music, pizza and cakes for the workers and their supporters. The protest will be held outside the hospital as a means to drawing attention to the workers’ demands without the need to go on strike in a hospital.
Tahir Bhatti, GMB Regional Organiser said:
“The general public will be surprised to hear that the staff in Hammersmith Hospital are paid only the minimum wage. Porters who care for patients and the deceased, cleaners who clean the blood, sick and other waste and the staff who keep the hospital moving 24 hours a day deserve more than the minimum wage.
“The picnic protest seems to be taking off with many workers attending and joining in demonstrate how they feel while having some fun as well. Many staff are new to Britain and will appreciate the efforts by the union to get them involved in this after work protest.
“These protests are to draw attention to the poor wages and obtain increases in pay rather than to go on strike at the hospitals, but the workers understand they may have to go on strike if their wages are not increased.”
Ella Clayton, a Hammersmith resident said:
“The hospital is near where live and I enjoy my job but people should not just get the minimum wage for the work they do in the NHS.”
ENDS
Contact: Tahir Bhatti 0774249744 or Tahir.Bhatti@gmb.org.uk or GMB London Press Office 07970 114762
