GWH support workers vote to strike over bullying claims
10:30am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News By Josh Layton
The GMB meeting with Carillion workers from GWH held at the Jurys Inn to discuss taking strike action
SUPPORT workers at Great Western Hospital have voted by 97 per cent to strike over alleged bullying and harassment by their management.
A walk-out by 132 staff is inevitable unless private contractor Carillion enters negotiations, the GMB union said yesterday.
The union’s members work as porters, theatre technicians, in catering and cleaning and other support roles at the hospital GMB officials and shop stewards met yesterday to decide when to hold the strike, with an announcement expected this morning.
In the meantime a rally will take place outside the hospital at lunchtime.
The union has created an initial fund of £50,000 to support members – who took part in a postal ballot which was counted on Monday –if they do go ahead with industrial action.
GMB regional organiser Carole Vallelly said: “Our members are some of the lowest paid workers in the hospital.
“For them to go ahead with strike action shows how strongly they feel.
“We are not asking Carillion for a penny, it’s about not being bullied at work and being treated with respect.
“Many GMB members have said that they don’t want a strike but they don’t see any other way of getting Carillion to treat them with respect at work,” she said.
“GMB hopes that Carillion will work to resolve this dispute without disrupting the hospital, but their current intransigence is leaving GMB members with no other option but strike action.
“GMB has approached the NHS trust asking them to intervene and convene talks to avoid a strike, but the trust has also failed to act.
Carillion has been investigating what it terms a collective grievance brought by the workers.
The company said: “The process is due to be concluded this week and it is unfortunate that a decision to strike has been taken ahead of the conclusion of that investigation and ahead of a planned catch-up meeting with GMB next week.
“We are disappointed with the decision to strike.
“However, we have robust contingency plans and are working closely with the trust to ensure that patient care is not compromised should strike action take place."
GWH was one of the first hospitals to be built under the Private Finance Initiative at a cost of £148m with Carillion as the lead contractor. GMB represents 150 of Carillion's 200-strong workforce.
