CLEANERS, porters and caterers at Wokingham Hospital will strike over contracts.
Facilities staff at four Berkshire sites will walk out over forced changes to contracts, said GMB Union, after voting overwhelmingly to take strike action.
GMB Union said the dispute is over fears that facilities staff face “detrimental contractual changes”, as their new employer forces changes to job titles and roles.
GMB Union said NHS Property Services is implementing changes as part of its organisational review. But NHS Property Services disputes this.
A spokesperson for NHS Property Services said: “NHS Property Services welcomed our new colleagues from Berkshire on Friday, October 1, and have worked closely with Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust to ensure a successful transition into the organisation.
“There have been no changes to their job descriptions, pay or benefits. We look forward to working alongside our new frontline colleagues as we continue to help the NHS deliver excellent patient care.”
Asia Allison, GMB senior organiser said: “It’s crunch time for NHS Property Services, we have tried engaging with senior management, but they remain intransigent in their aims to change perfectly good and long-standing NHS job titles and roles which have always been linked to NHS pay bandings and scales.
“Our members need cast iron guarantees, that NHS Property services will honour their link to the NHS family — their pay and term and conditions.
“NHS Property Services have already told members their co-called organisational review could lead to changes even though they originally told staff that it wouldn’t.”