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Agency workers contemplating taking action

FRUSTRATED agency workers facing job losses at a London hospital are contemplating industrial disruption, the Star can reveal.

GMB members employed by Mitie at St George’s Hospital in Tooting are furious at management proposals to make 40 staff redundant and cut working hours.

The subcontracting giant is also investigating changing workers’ job roles so that hospital cleaners may also be serving food to patients.

At consultation meetings held by Mitie, staff have expressed concerns about potential negative effects to patient welfare.

They have also raised concerns about their own workload and over the risk that further cuts to working hours would reduce their pensions.

However, in recordings of meetings heard by the Star, management discuss at length the food that cleaners will serve but avoid discussing details about working hours cuts and staff rota changes.

At one tense meeting, which a union member has branded a “sham,” the workforce expressed their “disgust” at how they had been treated by the agency.

Sources tell the Star that management’s response was to ignore criticisms and block the exit to force workers to fill in “job preferences” in a newly-revised work structure.

It is understood that the workers collectively refused to co-operate with this and left the room.

A worker told the Star: “Unfortunately for Mitie, I’d be absolutely amazed if anyone falls for these slick claims about the changes bringing us opportunities.”

There will be a demonstration at 7am on Friday June 14 outside the hospital’s Blackshaw Road entrance.

GMB organiser Helen O’Connor said: “Once again, the dark underbelly of the privatisation of the NHS is laid bare.

“Mitie want to cut corners at the expense of the wellbeing of workers and patients.

“Their consultation meetings have been little more than an effort to dupe the workforce into believing these cuts are a good thing.”

Mitie have been contacted for comment.

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