Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110

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Talks being held today to avert further protests and strike action at hospitals

The GMB union and Sodexo are meeting in London this afternoon in a last ditch attempt to avoid further protests as were seen outside Brighton and Haywards Heath hospitals yesterday and to avert industrial action.

The union says that while Sodexo has apologised to staff working as cleaners, caterers, housekeepers and porters on NHS contracts at the hospitals for alleged shortfalls in payments, it must in future pay staff properly and compensate for losses, as well as revisit the redundancy programme.

Since taking over the contract on 1st December 2012, Sodexo is said to have left many staff without proper wages, which left them struggling to pay bills or buy basic supplies such as food for their families. The contractor also announced a redundancy programme with substantial job losses.

In response, protests were held yesterday and GMB conducted a ballot for industrial action, whilst taking steps to file claims for underpayment of wages with the Employment Tribunal.

In a letter issued to GMB members yesterday, Sodexo Healthcare Managing Director Simon Scrivens said:

"I would like to apologise unreservedly to anybody who has experienced a problem, and for the frustration and anxiety this has caused.

"The issues with our system were caused by several factors and included incorrect bank details, incorrect overtime and enhancement calculations and delays in managers approving payments for work done. None of these are acceptable.

"I am personally committed to ensuring that we resolve these issues quickly and effectively. I would like to thank you again for your continued support and understanding whilst my team resolve these issues, and again my sincere apologies for the distress and inconvenience these problems have caused."

GMB Organiser Gary Palmer reports: "This apology is a first step from Sodexo but words are cheap and we now need to see action. The company must now keep to their promise to ensure that staff are properly paid and compensated for their losses. They must also revisit their redundancy programme.

"GMB and senior representatives of the company will now be meeting at 3.30pm in London to see if there is a way to resolve the remainder of this dispute without the need for industrial action taking place. As always it will be GMB members who decide whether any deal is acceptable to them."

Commenting on the dispute, Lord Bassam of Brighton, Labour member of the shadow cabinet, said: "I am pleased that Sodexo has finally woken up to the need to treat staff its employs with respect and for its handling of pay their management of services.

"The company should fully compensate staff who lost money and who were inconvenienced over Christmas. Some families had a miserable time - going short in some cases of essentials. I'd like to see some expression of goodwill to those affected and for the threats of redundancy to be withdrawn."

Ed: Our image is reproduced courtesy of the Brighton Argus, whose website (www.theargus.co.uk) has a comment section at the foot of its story on the dispute. In one comment, one reader says:

"I can understand why Sodexo wants to review work and staffing levels. I had to be at the hospital for an extended period last week and happened to see a member of staff looking after the cleaning of a particular area. It was obvious that they had far too much time to carry out the allocated tasks. Even taking extended breaks to talk on the phone, or with colleagues, these people had to work hard at not working. It's obvious that a significant culture change is needed. The NHS as funded by the taxpayer should not be a cash cow for its contracted or subcontracted staff." So - perhaps there's more to this dispute than initially meets the eye...

10th January 2013