Serco workers at Swindon’s Great Western Hospital to escalate strike action

Workers will begin their second 48-hour walkout at 7am on Monday 11 November

UNISON members hold placards and flags on the picket line. The sun is shining amid bright blue skies.

Caterers, housekeepers, security guards and porters employed by Serco at Great Western Hospital in Swindon will take further strike action in their ongoing dispute over pay, says UNISON today (Monday).

Workers will begin their second 48-hour walkout at 7am on Monday 11 November as they demand the same one-off payments already awarded to their NHS colleagues. They previously took action in September.

The wage deal agreed for NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts in June 2023 included two lump-sum payments for the previous financial year (2022/23). However, Serco has refused to pass on the one-off bonuses – worth at least £1,655 – to Great Western employees.

UNISON says Serco workers, who perform crucial roles at the hospital, are being unfairly treated when compared with counterparts employed directly by the NHS.

Earlier this year, similar disputes at other healthcare sites, including in North Devon and Wiltshire, were resolved after employees secured the lump-sum payment through strike action.

UNISON South West regional organiser Tom Kennedy-Hughes said: “Serco’s refusal to honour the NHS pay deal is deeply unjust and has left hard-working hospital staff struggling to make ends meet.

“Serco posted profits of more than £249m in 2023, so there’s no justification for denying its employees the same financial recognition as NHS workers. Staff have been left with no choice but to strike to secure the fair pay they’re entitled to.

“It’s not too late for Serco to avoid further disruption. The company simply needs to treat its employees fairly.”