Victory for GMB members suspended in hospital safety row
Hospital workers reinstated after being suspended for refusing to use equipment dangerous to themselves and patients due to union campaign says GMB London.
Following a campaign by GMB at Watford General hospital two hospital porters have been reinstated after they were suspended before Christmas for refusing to work in an unsafe manner with unsafe equipment.
Both workers were told to report to work today, 16th of January 2017, following a five week suspension and all charges against them have been dropped by their employer Medirest.
The safety problems erupted following workers complaints over food trolleys and how they were loaded.
A hospital worker said, “Pushing loaded trolleys around a busy hospital when you cannot see over the loads is an accident waiting to happen, also the trolleys sharp edges resulted in ankle injury. We told our managers but eventually the GMB rep refused to work with the trolleys and was suspended, then another lad, who also refused, was suspended”
Mick Dooley, GMB London organiser, said, “Both workers were potentially facing dismissal from their jobs, their unwarranted suspension came before Christmas so the festive season was a little less festive in their homes this year. Their crime was to ask for a proper instruction before they used the equipment, and for that they are kept under a cloud for five weeks fearing the worst. However, their union brothers and sisters did not turn their backs on them and many were prepared to go on strike to ensure that a just outcome prevailed.
Hospital workers were angered by what they saw as an attempt to intimidate them and stop them raising safety issues. However the members went on the offensive raising publicity, meetings and petitions and demanded the immediate reinstatement of their colleagues. Reinstatement followed a meeting with senior GMB officials and the company.
The Health and Safety Executive also visited Watford General and in no uncertain terms advised Medirest to ensure safe working practices.
Watford General has seen recent growing unrest among hundreds of workers who are paid ten pence above the minimum wage and some paid only the minimum wage. Workers will meet with GMB to discuss their position and following this latest attack by management.”
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Michael Dooley on 07773061798; michael.dooley@gmb.org.uk
Notes to editors
1 GMB press release 22 December 2016
GMB PLEDGE TO DEFEND STAFF SUSPENDED AT WATFORD HOSPITAL AFTER REFUSING TO USE EQUIPMENT DANGEROUS TO THEMSELVES AND PATIENTS
We must consult our members regarding what direction we need to take this, the staff cannot keep being humiliated forever says GMB London
GMB, the union for staff in the NHS, has pledged to defend two GMB members, one a GMB safety representative, who have been suspended for refusing to work with what the workers say is damaged and unsafe equipment in an unsafe manner that could injure themselves and patients.
The refusal follows one worker being injured after using the equipment. Normally, following a safety issue being raised management would investigate, however, Medirest suspended both men immediately and have held a disciplinary inquiry saying the men refused to work. It is lawful under health and safety legislation for workers to refuse to undertake work that could lead to immediate harm to themselves or those around them.
Staff working in Watford General Hospital who are paid only ten pence above the minimum wage, held another protest at the hospital yesterday, 21 December 2016 with the added accompaniment of a 15 foot high inflatable Rat.
Michael Dooley GMB local representative said “The protest was a way of highlighting the poverty pay in Watford General Hospital, but we feel that the Medirest decision to suspend two long term service employees both with clean records, for raising safety issues is more like intimidation to send a message to other staff, do not complain about safety or wages.
The staff members of GMB, who work for Medirest which is part of Compass Group, wanted to highlight what they describe as poverty pay. They are reluctant to go on strike because they do not want to jeopardise the wellbeing of the patients and see the protests which are planned to continue as a way of forcing their management to improve wages.
Anger among the low paid workforce mainly, local Watford people, is at breaking point and further resentment has been added by an email sent today instructing Medirest supervisors only to give workers who work on Christmas Day left over Christmas dinner that nurses and patents are supplied with.
An added humiliation of the leftover meal insult is where staff working on Christmas day will only be able to have a Christmas meal if there is any ‘left over from what the patients & NHS staff ordered.’ Many of the low paid staff, many who are migrant workers, will see this as an ultimate insult to them and it shows how they are valued by the NHS.
The email about the leftovers highlighted the attitude towards cleaning and portering staff at Watford General Hospital , on top of everything else which is happening we feel that we must consult our members regarding what direction we need to take this, the staff cannot keep being humiliated forever"
Contact: Michael Dooley on 07773061798 michael.dooley@gmb.org.uk
2 GMB press release 16 December 2016
GMB MEMBERS AT WATFORD GENERAL HOSPITAL ANNOUNCE FURTHER PROTEST ON 21ST DECEMBER IN DISPUTE OVER PAY
Workers do not want to go on strike because it is not beneficial to the patients they care for, so their only option is to protest until their voice is heard says GMB London
GMB London, the union for staff in the health service, will stage a second demonstration outside Watford General Hospital gates on Wednesday 21st December from 12.00 noon until 4.00 pm in a dispute over pay. (See notes to editors for details of the first protest from 10th November)
Hospital cleaners, porters and hostesses are being paid only ten pence above the national minimum wage with no overtime payments or additional pay for working Bank Holidays or weekends.
The protest will be held on Wednesday21st December starting at 12 noon outside Watford General Hospital at the following address:
Vicarage Road
Watford
WD18 0HB
Mick Dooley, GMB London organiser, said, “The current UK living wage is £8.45 and NHS rates of pay are around £9.40 per hour. Watford General Hospital porters and cleaners get £7.30, ten pence above the National Minimum Wage. If it was not for the Labour Government introducing the minimum wages who knows what the workers would be getting paid.
Last month following a large demonstration involving around 40 hospital workers the Watford Hospital Trust HR Director Paul Da Gama stated the trust do not recognise the hourly figure being quoted by GMB. GMB state that it is an undeniable fact that hundreds of workers in Watford General Hospital are paid ten pence above the minimum wages and many are paid only the minimum wage.
Workers do not want to go on strike because it is not beneficial to the patients they care for, so their only option is to protest until their voice is heard. However, unless something changes there might be no other option but to go on strike.
More protests and further campaigning are planned and action is set to be more wide spread unless the employers reconsider the wages that are being paid to the hospital workers.
Many workers live in the local area and one Watford porter told me that “Christmas time is especially hard for us on the low wages we are paid. I have three children so my wife is not working, we just about manage with no luxuries. If it was not for our parents I do not know what kind of Christmas we would have.
Other workers are concerned about being told to work Christmas day like it is just any other day.”
3 GMB press release 4 November 2016
GMB PROTEST AT WATFORD GENERAL HOSPITAL ON THURSDAY 10th NOVEMBER IN DISPUTE OVER PAY
Patients deserve the best possible support available and that support should be fairly rewarded says GMB London
GMB London, the union for staff in the health service, are to protest over workers in Watford General Hospital being paid only ten pence above the £7.20 per hour minimum wage.
From 11 am leaflets will be distributed highlighting the low wages being paid in the hospital. At 12 noon a small demonstration will take place outside the hospital entrance and they will be joined by workers from the hospital.
The protest will be held on Thursday November 10th starting at 12 noon outside Watford General Hospital at the following address:
Vicarage Road
Watford
WD18 0HB
Mick Dooley, GMB London organiser, said, “Many local Watford people are working in Watford General for a pittance, I cannot think of such low wages being paid in any other hospitals. Obviously someone thinks Watford people can exist on gruel because with only ten pence above the minimum wage of £7.20 gruel is about all the workers can afford after rent, council tax and bus fares to work.
Quality patient support and fair pay to workers can be achieved in Watford General Hospital GMB call upon the Hospital Trust to ensure that all workers in Watford General Hospital should be paid on an equal basis which is in accordance with the NHS Agenda for Change contract.
Workers who maintain our NHS Services are not the property of the privateers and spivs, the NHS is our proud heritage and we should be ashamed to allow decent people to exist on ten pence above the minimum wage for a living working in our hospital.
Patients deserve the best possible support available and that support should be fairly rewarded. The workers do not want to take strike action for higher wages because of their commitment to the patients so we hope today’s protest, which is part of an action plan, will begin to focus the minds of the decision makers and ensure that we can bring an end to poverty pay at Watford General.”
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