Serco workers win in-housing and pay rise

Two weeks of strike action by Serco workers at the Barts NHS Trust in London have ended with a major victory.

The strike, with big noisy picket lines and several well-supported demonstrations, moved Serco and the trust from a “1% and not a penny more” position to a 3% pay rise backdated to April 2021 plus £400. More importantly the strike ended contracting out of porters, cleaners and patient food staff across the Bart’s NHS Trust.

In-housing was the key demand of the strike. These services have been contracted out across the Trust for years, and in Whipps Cross, Newham and Mile End Hospitals contracting out to various companies is more than a decade old. From May 2023 workers will be employed by the NHS Trust, and, in a ground-breaking agreement won by the strike and the tough stand of the Unite stewards, workers are guaranteed full NHS terms and conditions from day one. This will see some workers gaining a 15% rise in pay.

The strike was locally led by a strong group of Unite shop stewards. They have shown that it takes consistent day by day organising and a clear set of demands to win ballots and take effective strike action. It is a stark contrast to the national efforts of NHS unions, which have used failed ballots as an excuse not to act.