OVER 50 striking Swindon hospital workers travelled by coach yesterday to Wolverhampton to lobby their employer, privateer Carillion, demanding an end to bullying, harassment and discrimination.
Carillion has the 30-year PFI contract at Great Western Hospital in Swindon, where it employs the striking workers as kitchen staff and cleaners.
There have been 109 workers who have signed a collective grievance against the company for allegations of bullying in the workplace.
The workers are also demanding Carillion recognise their union, the GMB, and say that they are ready to step up their action.
Yesterday was the last of the latest three days of strike action.
Some of the strikers spoke to News Line before leaving Swindon yesterday morning.
Housekeeping assistant Martina Rodriguez, a GMB member, said: ‘We want to stop bullying. We want respect at work.
‘We want the GMB to be recognised by the company.
‘One manager who we complained about was sacked but we want recognition and respect at work.
‘The struggle is not over. We really did not want to go on strike but we’ve been forced to.
‘Our struggle goes on until we get recognition.
‘And we want proper leave. Carillion have just been giving us ten days at a time, and we don’t get Christmas leave.
‘Most of us come from Goa and ten days is not enough to go home for a holiday.
‘We get 20 days in total of leave and rest days, but we want three weeks holidays.
‘There are 158 of us involved. We will stay together and we will win.’
GMB member Marcal Crasto added: ‘We are 95% towards winning. The manager has been resigned already.
‘We still want the GMB recognised and no discrimination at all.
‘We want no harassment at the workplace and we want respect and a fair holiday system.
‘If Carillion don’t accept what we want, we’ll go for more strikes – a week at a time, Monday to Friday.’
