On Friday 19 July, over two hundred members of staff from across Frimley and Wexham Park Hospitals stood together and showed the trust that privatising the NHS by the back door will not be taken lying down.
Despite bucketing rain, staff turned out in droves to make sure their voices couldn’t be ignored.
Frimley’s attempts to create a “wholly-owned subsidiary” would see 1,000 staff in catering, portering and cleaning lose their NHS terms & conditions. Staff at all levels have shown fierce opposition to this attempted corporate tax dodge.
Vital meetings for UNISON members will now be held across the sites to plan the crucial next stages of the campaign.
The fight to save the NHS at Frimley has begun – and the only way to beat them, is to join UNISON.
UNISON South East regional secretary Steve Torrance said “Hard working hospital staff are about to be thrown to the wolves because Frimley NHS trust wants to avoid paying some tax. Porters, admin workers and housekeepers aren’t responsible for the NHS’s financial problems and are feeling targeted for a quick saving.
“It’s particularly disappointing that Frimley is looking to outsource staff because until now they had a reputation for keeping services in-house, helping them to be regarded as a flagship NHS trust.
“it’s deceitful and immoral to use subco VAT loopholes like this as back-door privatisation of the NHS and the trust needs to rethink its plans. This has nothing to do with patient need, and everything to do with cutting tax, pay and pensions.”
Members’ Meetings will be held at:
Frimley
- Tues 30th July, PG Med Centre Training Room, 1:30pm-4pm.
- Mon 12th August, PG Simulation Training Room, 9am-11:30am.
Wexham Park
- Wed 31st July, Training Centre Lecture Theatre, 1:30pm-3:30pm.
- Mon 5th August, Wexham Training Centre Room 6, 1:30pm-3:30pm.
- Mon 12th August, PG Med Centre Room 2, 1:30pm-3:30pm.