Nottinghamshire facing NHS spring strike crisis as union ballots for action

More than 150 porters, cleaners, catering workers, call operators and security workers at King’s Mill, Mansfield Community and Newark hospitals who are employed by private contractor Medirest are being balloted by the GMB Union in a dispute over pay parity with NHS-employed staff.

Medirest, a major provider of facilities and services across Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust (SFHT), are facing anger from workers due to the less favourable terms and conditions they are employed on compared to directly-employed NHS staff.

The breaking point came last year after NHS employees received a covid recovery bonus payment, which was not applied to staff in the NHS employed by Medirest.

Last year, more than 200 Medirest workers signed an open letter to company bosses calling for pay fairness, but to date no action has been taken.

Cameron Mitchell, GMB organiser, said: “We are on the verge of a spring of strike chaos in some of Nottinghamshire’s biggest NHS institutions.

“Medirest workers deliver key services, keeping our hospitals clean, patients fed and the hospital community cared for.

“They deserve so much better than to be treated as second rate staff.

“Strike action is always a last resort and GMB remains committed to resolving this dispute, but we must see urgent action from company bosses before its too late.”

Your Chad has contacted SFHT for comment.