Workers at Great Western Hospital to escalate strike action

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.

© Rosie Sammut/Unison

© Rosie Sammut/Unison

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.

Workers will begin their second 48-hour walkout at 7am on 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, the union says Serco has refused to pass on the one-off bonuses – worth at least £1,655 – to Great Western employees.

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.'

He added: ‘It's not too late for Serco to avoid further disruption. The company simply needs to treat its employees fairly.'

The trust was unavailable to comment at the time of writing.

Trust confirms plans to cut up to 500 jobs

Trust confirms plans to cut up to 500 jobs

By Lee Peart 16 April 2025

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) has confirmed plans to cut up to 500 support roles.

Gloucestershire NHS staff escalate strike action in pay dispute

By Liz Wells 11 April 2025

Phlebotomists at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General hospitals have escalated strike action in a long-running dispute over pay and grading.

Union highlights video and photo harassment of health workers

By Liz Wells 07 April 2025

NHS staff are frequently being harassed by members of the public filming them with their phones and threatening to post footage online, new research suggests.


Popular articles by Liz Wells