FACILITIES staff are on the third day of their four-day strike action today at Maudsley and Royal Bethlem Hospitals.
Lois Gyabi, striking GMB member, told News Line yesterday: ‘We work for SSI who have the contract for domestic staff at Maudsley and Royal Bethlem Hospitals.
‘This company owes us a lot of back pay. The NHS have paid the company for our pay increases going back to 2017, but they have not paid us these increases. They are sitting on this money and won’t give it to us.
‘So we are fighting for our rights, for our pay rise and for our back pay.
‘These contracts are no good. These private companies are always cheating people.’
Jackie Wright said: ‘I think our contract should go back in-house with an NHS contract, because with ISS they don’t support you. No back pay no sickness pay there are a lot of issues going on here.
‘It’s much better if we go back in-house. We would be treated much better. These subcontractors always want to make money for themselves, and the trusts are trying to save money by outsourcing the service.’
Emmanuel Nortey GMB striker said: ‘We are all working in this country, but interest rates are going high, mortgages and rents are going high, food and electric are going high, but our wages stay the same.
‘When the employers increase the wages they just put a 0. something % on it, but the banks are charging 4%-5%. Everything is going up, our electricity, water bills, the lot.
‘We are working in the hospital – we take care of patients, mentally ill patients who are more difficult to look after.
‘So we cannot go on like that.
‘We are on strike for four days and if ISS don’t cover our needs, we will do it again until we get what we deserve.’
He added: ‘If the government is sensible enough they would see how the strikes are turning. The bus drivers have gone on strike, nurses have gone on strike, doctors, train drivers, domestics have gone on strike.
‘The government should sit down with all of us.
‘But if it cannot sit down, it should give way to those who can manage the country and the economy.’
