Planned GWH strikes paused for talks

Trade union UNISON says a two-day strike has been paused to allow for talks between all sides.

Industrial action had been planned for the end of last week, involving hundreds of hospital caterers, security guards and porters employed by Serco.

They were due to walk out in protest at what the union describes as the company’s refusal to honour a nationally-agreed NHS pay deal.

However, representatives from UNISON, the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Serco were due to join North Swindon MP Will Stone for talks on Monday.

UNISON says hospital staff are angry that Serco bosses have refused to pay them a bonus awarded to other staff directly employed by the NHS.

A national pay deal agreed in June 2023 included two lump-sum payments for NHS staff worth at least £1,655. UNISON says Serco's failure to pay means Great Western Hospital employees are being paid less than colleagues in neighbouring hospitals for doing the same work.

The union has also noted that Serco announced profits of £249m in 2023 and expects to post even larger profits for 2024 of around £270m.

UNISON South West regional organiser Tom Kennedy-Hughes said: “Nobody wants to take strike action. Serco should use Monday’s talks to make a fair offer to their staff.

“Great Western Hospital workers are not being greedy or asking for a huge pay rise – they simply want to be paid the same as NHS staff elsewhere. They're clear they will take strike action if they have to.”