FACILITIES staff at Maudsley and Bethlem mental hospitals began a new four-day strike yesterday against the ISS offer of a meagre 30p wage increase, which they have totally rejected.
ISS, a Dutch-owned multi-million pound global public services privateer, has not even paid the increases agreed with the GMB union last year, and the dedicated workforce are furious.
Speaking on the lively picket line at Maudsley hospital yesterday, GMB Rep Danielle Seychell told News Line: ‘We have started a new strike for four days now because ISS are still only offering 30p.
‘They are trying to break us, offering more money for old contracts and less for new starters. They want us to fight each other, sending out letters with different offers. But it hasn’t worked.
‘They keep on promising us our backpay, and then don’t pay.
‘And now we make a promise to them. We are not going back to work until they pay us!’
GMB striker Sandra Clarke said: ‘I’m striking because of the cost of living. I’m a single parent. At the moment I am just surviving and that is not right. I’m here to stand up for my rights.
‘I think a General Strike would be a good thing because individually all these strikes are not working. If all of us workers stand together, it’s going to make them panic at the top. It’s not a good look for them, especially abroad.’
Lumturije Osmaj told News Line: ‘I have worked for 16 years here at Maudsley.
‘The way ISS are treating us, all our staff, is unbelievable. Nobody takes any notice of us. We work very hard, and sometimes our lives are at risk, working with mentally ill patients.
‘We are picketing outside for four days, and we will continue until we get what we deserve. We must win a decent pay rise which we are entitled to.’
GMB member Justine said: ‘We are on different contracts. Some people get six months sick pay and then half.
‘But me, though working here for 15 years, I don’t get any sick pay until after one week, and then it’s only £25 they give you. It is not fair, we are doing the same job.
‘Our treatment is so bad. It’s our right to book a holiday, but they usually reject it.
‘Why are we not getting fair treatment from this company? We should go back in-house.’
GMB member Annette Simit said: ‘ISS refuse to give us the three days we are entitled to for death in the family, for compassionate leave.
‘They want a doctor’s certificate that you are grieving. I have had three deaths from August to December, and now my brother’s body is in the morgue.
‘My brother’s funeral is on 25th May. I put in the request last week and the manager rejected it. I want my compassionate leave to go to the burial.
‘We are treated like slaves. We cannot speak, we cannot express ourselves.’
GMB member Nathan Millen said: ‘We all need to come out together, this capitalist system is corrupt. They all work together, the politicians, the police and the companies.
