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From The Socialist newspaper, 1 November 2007
Targets take their toll on cleaners
A domestic team supervisor at an East Midlands hospital told the socialist what lies behind the headlines in today's NHS.
"Things are looking cleaner, but at the cost of my staff. Sickness has gone up. It's so stressful people are starting, working three days and then leaving. We have one lady to clean a whole ward – five bays with six beds, five side-rooms, a corridor and a nurses' station - in six hours. The toilet cleaning team have six wards to clean - one person has 40 minutes a ward. They're supposed to be done three times a day but they can't get round.
It used to be a really happy place to work. It still is in some ways but the mood of the staff is very demotivated and deflated. They're not happy because they want to do their best and they can't. The main reason is shortage of staff. A lot have left and a lot of experience has gone."
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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
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In The Socialist 1 November 2007:
Targets take their toll on cleaners
Feature: NHS - Time to fight for a national strike
Editorial: NHS campaigning - national strategy needed
Environment and socialism
System change to stop climate change
Workplace news and analysis
CWU executive member calls for a 'no' vote
Unison local government ballot result ignored
Socialism 2007
Socialist Party news and analysis
Countering the race to the bottom
Respect in crisis - what lessons for socialists?
Asylum
International socialist news and analysis
Nigeria: Day of action protest march in Osogbo
Switzerland: Racism dominates election campaign
Poland: Right-wing populist government defeated
National Shop Stewards Network
Wales shop stewards' network conference
London and South East regional conference
Workplace news and analysis
Bolton care workers' dispute: Workers' determination yields first signs of success
Vote Martin Powell-Davies for NUT vice president
Journalists: Fight low pay and long hours
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