WORKERS from 6 departments at St Thomas’ hospital on Westminster Bridge Road were on the third day of their strike action yesterday, when they also planned to march to the Department of Health.
The pickets represented Porters, Rapid Response, Housekeepers, Food Service, Catering and stores, and Security. They are all paid at the lowest rate, Band 2. They are demanding Band 3 pay.
Speaking to News Line, Iye Fornah, from the Hotel Management department said: ‘We are on Band 2. We have to work longer and longer hours just to pay our bills. Also we want to be treated nicely and equal to everyone else. We definitely need Band 3 pay.’
Dawn Powell, a Housekeeping Assistant said: ‘They should respect and value us for the work we do. Housekeeping, catering, maintenance and portering, are all vital services that keep the hospital running. Patients must eat so their bodies can heal.
‘There are bank staff who have been here 7 years and still haven’t been given a permanent position. They talk about equality and diversity, but the reality is very different. Fair pay now!’
Abdul Kamara said: ‘The strike is going well. We have to strike to get Band 3. We’ve been fighting for a long time. We are the front line in the hospital. We have to be properly paid for what we do.’
Mohamed Fofanah said: ‘We have been fighting for this for 3 years. We do more dirty work than anyone else, and deserve more pay’.
Mary Conteh said: ‘They have cut our hours. Our pay is bad so we try to make it up with extra hours. Now we can’t do that.’
Titilayo Olaobi said: ‘I think we will win because there is a lot of support for us. The government should stop the discrimination and racism that for us is an every day reality’.
Chris, a Unite portering rep at the hospital, said: ‘It’s going really well. I’m excited at the enthusiasm that there is for the strike. Band 2 is barely above the minimum wage. We have spent 2 years in talks proving that portering is not Band 2, it should be higher. We have been very reasonable. We’re hoping for a good result.’
Cancer Research strikers – confident of winning!
STRIKING Institute of Cancer Research workers were out in full force yesterday outside their headquarters in Chelsea.
The pickets remain confident that they will win and the management will be forced to back down.
The strikers explained they had already won concessions over pensions and pay scales.
They remained determined to continue their strike for a pay increase for all workers.
Ross Scrimgeour, a senior scientific officer on the ICR picket line, said: ‘We have made some gains so far.
There is movement to restore the canteen in Sutton, and the incremental pay scale they said would never be implemented is now back on the table, along with pension scale changes.’
Striker Danny Habte said: ‘We went to Guy’s Hospital strike yesterday.
‘The atmosphere there was fantastic.
‘They are also on low pay and are determined that they will be regraded.’
