Health Lab workers strike tests management’s mettle

Health workers across several major hospitals walked out for a three-day strike over pay and conditions, reports Pete Webster

The inclement weather Wednesday morning wasn’t enough to dampen the enthusiasm of more than 570 laboratory workers employed by parasitical out-sourced companies providing pathology services to the NHS in North London.

At Northwick Park Hospital, the strikers set up a lively picket outside the hospital and enjoyed wide-spread approval from the public and passing traffic. Situated adjacent to a bus stop, many of the drivers and passengers also took leaflets outlining the reasons for the action. 

The strikers are employed by Health Service Laboratories (HSL) and The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) that provide diagnostic blood, skin and tissue tests across seven major hospitals including the Royal Free, UCLH, the Whittington, North Middlesex, Barnet and Ealing.

The Unite-organised workers have been pushed into industrial action following six months of negotiations with management as they seek pay and conditions in line with directly employed NHS staff doing the same work. In some cases, pay is a 27% less for HSL/TDL workers.

For many, if not most, this was their first experience of taking to the picket line. The strike ballot returned a 94.5% vote for action and gave them a mandate for strike action until March next year if necessary. It’s not just about pay either.

A Site rep said, ‘We also want to see improved sick pay and annual leave as well as better training opportunities’ and ‘TDL have taken on more contracts meaning more testing but without any increase in staffing numbers.’

Another rep added, ‘They only care about profit – not the safety of patients. Last year HSL made almost £100m profit for its shareholders. The CEO, David Byrne, received a 40% pay rise – taking his salary to £900k a year!’

There will be a further two days of strikes on Thursday and Friday week with a London-wide rally outside TDL’s HQ at The Halo building (WC1H 9AX) close to King’s Cross station on Thursday 4 September from 7am to 12pm.

The disparity in terms and conditions between NHS and those employed by outsourced private companies is typical across the health and social-care industries and is championed by the likes of the odious Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting.

HSL and TDL members should also be raising the issue of being taken back in-house and fighting to get these blood-sucking leeches out of the NHS.

On the Northwick Park picket, the rain eventually stopped and the sun began to shine.