STAFF at Wokingham Community Hospital are preparing to strike at the end over the month.
GMB, and NHS staff union, has issued notices to NHS Property Services for five days of strike action from Monday, November 29.
Housekeeping, cleaning and catering staff are among those walking out over concerns that NHS Property Services is looking to change job titles, job specifications and bandings.
But this has been disputed by NHS Property Services, which claimed GMB is being “misleading”.
GMB said any changes could weaken and potentially break the current direct link to facility staff’s existing NHS pay rates.
Asia Allison, GMB senior organiser said: “It’s worth remembering that’s these staff didn’t want to leave the Berkshire Healthcare NHS family for the private sector in the first place, and they feel pretty much abandoned by the trust, despite having provided a high standard service for many years for them.
“Now they find themselves facing having their NHS transferring terms and conditions changed by NHSPS through an organisational change program which could potentially circumvent their TUPE protection and can sever the link to their current NHS pay bandings, as it appears was always the plan with Property Services all the way along.”
Ms Allison said strike action is the last resort.
But an NHS Property Services spokesperson said they have worked closely with Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust with the transition.
“There have been no changes to their job descriptions, pay or benefits,” they said. “All colleagues transferring into our organisation retain the right to maintain their existing terms and conditions. To suggest otherwise is misleading.
“As is standard procedure in similar transfers, job titles will be adapted to ensure they fit with titles used at NHS Property Services. This does not impact pay and is done to ensure new colleagues feel part of our organisation from the outset and are able to access the career paths we have on offer.”
Gary Palmer, GMB regional organiser said: “Despite claiming otherwise Property Services are an outright Ltd private company, seeking to take money out of the NHS under the guise of efficiency savings.
“What the GMB won’t allow, is for that to be at a direct detriment or cost to our members’ pay and terms and conditions.”
But the NHS Property services spokesperson said: “NHS Property Services is part of the NHS and owned by the Department of Health and Social Care. Our 5,000 frontline colleagues work tirelessly in healthcare settings across the country to enable excellent patient care. Their work is invaluable and, over the pandemic, they were responsible for over 9,000 covid additional discharge deep cleans, recommissioned 1,057 extra inpatient beds and worked to create 200 vaccination centres.”
Mr Palmer said GMB is happy to meet with NHS Property Services to discuss the issue.
He added: “Demotivating staff from the outset, who didn’t really want to transfer over to you in the first place is just purposeful by property services, as staff who leave will be replaced by new starters on lesser pay rates, fewer holidays and detrimental sickness and pension schemes.
“The GMB Union says not this time, and not at these hospitals and these staff.
“GMB remain happy to discuss but if NHSPS remain on the track they are, then this dispute will see the first round of action, with more to follow.”
An NHS Property Services spokesperson added: “We continue to be in discussions with the GMB to seek to avert this unnecessary action.
“However, if they do proceed, we would like to take this opportunity to reassure the public that we have worked to ensure all key frontline roles will be covered for the duration of the strike to make sure the high quality of our vital frontline services is not affected.”
