Cleaners and other support staff are essential to managing the coronavirus crisis, photo by Mohsen Atayi/CC (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)
Cleaning, portering and catering staff at Lewisham Hospital, south London – where coronavirus cases have been treated – have walked out after private contractor ISS failed to pay the wages of the hospital workers.
Their union the GMB says: “Infected patients are now being admitted into the hospital, but the cleaners have downed tools because they haven’t been paid.
“Furious workers stormed off the job during a row with the outsourcing company. Now ISS risks leaving wards uncleaned and meals not being served if they can’t settle the low-paid workers’ wages.”
The Socialist reported recently (see ‘Homerton Hospital workers fight for sick pay‘) that staff at Homerton Hospital, east London, had compelled ISS to agree to pay workers their usual pay if they are forced to self-isolate to help stop the spread of coronavirus. This victory is part of an ongoing campaign to get permanent occupational sick pay.
This shows ISS can be pushed back and workers can win.
- ISS staff, members of the PCS union, who are employed to clean tax offices at Bootle and Liverpool are taking 14 days of strike action over poor pay and conditions, and the refusal of ministers at HMRC to take the cleaning contract back in-house.
- Workers in Birmingham are taking two days of action. PCS members employed by ISS at BEIS won their fight for better pay, terms and conditions, including the London Living Wage of £10.55 an hour after many months of strike action in 2019.
