EALING Hospital workers are stopping work for two hours next Wednesday 1st July and joining the march and occupation to save the hospital’s maternity unit. And they are calling all workers and shops in the area to do the same.
GMB union members, employed at the hospital by private contractor Medirest, told News Line yesterday: ‘We are speaking to our union leader and telling him we are going to stop work and join the march next Wednesday.’
‘We have to save our maternity, our hospital and our jobs. We want everyone else to do the same.’
Ian Baker, Ealing Hospital consultant and BMA and Unison member, said: ‘We must all stop work next Wednesday. Closure of maternity is the beginning of the end. Now we have to defend our hospital. If they get away with closing maternity, then the rest will follow. It must be stopped now before it’s too late. I fully support next Wednesday’s action. We must succeed.’
RCN member Mark said: ‘It’s unfair for the Ealing community. I’m going to speak to colleagues to ensure that, while maintaining emergency cover, those of us who can stop work for two hours and join the march and occupation, do so.’
Tajinder Saggu, admin coordinator for diabetes, added: ‘My daughter has had heart surgery and we come here to A&E. My father has had heart surgery and he’s a diabetic. I too am a diabetic. We live in Hanwell, five minutes away, and we access many services in the hospital, all my family does. We will come out next Wednesday and join the march.’
Ann Franklyn, nurse and midwife, said: ‘Today is my last day and I am very upset. I have worked here for 22 years in total. I trained here as a nurse in 1981, trained as a midwife in 1998, and returned to Ealing in 2000. I live in Southall. Everyone knows that closure of maternity is a prelude to the closure of the entire hospital and we can’t let it happen. I will support next Wednesday’s action and fight for it.’
At nearby Greenford bus garage, Unite member Arif Mahmood said: ‘We will discuss with our colleagues and make them aware that we have to join next Wednesday’s action to actually protect our hospital. And we will tell our trade union that it must back us.’
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Unite member Ajim Puka said: ‘The hospital must be saved for everyone, especially women and children. We must and will stop work next Wednesday and join the march and occpation.’
Back at the occupation of the hospital, Suni Jaison, GMB member, said: ‘I support the occupation and I want the GMB to back us all to stop work and join the march.’
Hodan Hassan, from west Ealing, said: ‘My first baby is due in two months time and it was my plan to have it here. All my sisters had their babies here. The hospital wrote to me and told me that the last delivery was the 24 June. They gave me six hospitals to choose from, but they are all so far away. You can walk to here from my house and you can come at any time. It’s very convenient.
‘I’m going to support this fight in every way I can and make sure that my family, neighbours and community do so as well.’