Serco workers at London hospitals stage protests over pay

Outsourcer Serco on Wednesday came under fire from a number of its staff working across London hospitals who demanded a pay rise.

Trade union Unite estimated around 50 Serco workers on the Barts NHS Trust contract would stage a protest at the trust’s board meeting on May 9.

FTSE 250 company Serco provides everything from patient catering, to cleaning and laundry services, across hospitals including St Barts and Mile End.

There are around 1600 staff working on the contract. Of these, those on the minimum pay get £10.20 per hour. Unite and a number of employees want that boosted to £10.83.

Last July saw a number of workers employed by Serco at Barts Health NHS Trust go on strike before a settlement was agreed.

A spokesman for Serco said it “agreed with the trust and the unions at the start of our contract that we would pay at least the London Living Wage at Barts Health NHS Trust, which is a commitment that we continue to meet”.