Hospital strike goes ahead as talks fail over pay

Workers at a Swindon hospital are taking part in a two-day strike after payment talks fell through.

Cleaners, porters and catering staff employed by Serco at the Great Western Hospital have walked out on Friday and will do so again on Monday.

The dispute centres around Serco's refusal to pay two one-off bonuses awarded to other NHS staff in 2022/23, said to be worth at least £1,655.

A Serco spokesperson said they remained "focused on finding a solution".

The strike was previously averted last week following an intervention from local MPs Heidi Alexander and Will Stone, but talks subsequently broke down.

Unison's South West regional organiser Tom Kennedy-Hughes claimed that the dispute is Serco's to resolve.

"Serco's refusal to take the talks seriously was an insult to the hardworking staff who keep Great Western Hospital running," he said.

"Serco workers deserve the same pay as their NHS colleagues. It's time the company stopped stalling and made a fair offer."

Following the breakdown of the talks, local MP Will Stone expressed his frustration.

"I'm disappointed that Serco were unable to come to the table with a meaningful resolution to this long-running dispute for the hard-working staff at GWH," Mr Stone said.

"I will continue to champion their work and press Serco to resolve this dispute."

A spokesperson for Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "A small number of staff working for Serco, in housekeeping and portering roles at Great Western Hospital, voted in favour of industrial action.

"While the pay dispute is between Serco and unions including Unison and GMB, the Trust continues to work closely with Serco to ensure the impact of the strike action on service and care delivery remains minimal."

A Serco spokesperson said it was "disappointing" the strike was going ahead.

"We have lobbied the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to fund the one-off payment, but this has so far been rejected," they added.

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.