Dudley MP raises Mitie strikers ’ struggle in the Commons

UNISON members employed by private contractor Mitie at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, in the West Midlands, received support yesterday from local MP Marco Longhi, in their fight to receive a government mandated COVID-19 bonus payment that has been paid to non-medical staff who are directly employed by the NHS. Having already taken three days of strike action, they will be striking again on 25 and 27 March. Conservative MP Mr Longhi asked the leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt, whether she would support the workers. He said: “I would like to place on record my thanks to the workers employed by Mitie during the pandemic and encourage the Department of Health and Social Care to work with me and resolve this issue.” Ms Mordaunt responded that extra funding was being made available for private contractors such as Mitie to apply for money for the extra payment for those not directly employed by the health service. She added that she would make sure the individual case of the Dudley hospital workers is looked at in a bid to resolve the problem. Denise Stevens, a domestic at the hospital and a UNISON steward (pictured above on the right), said: “All we are asking for is the same COVID-19 bonus payment that NHS colleagues received last year. “The support from the local Black Country community has been huge on strike days and throughout this dispute. “We have received support from the Dudley North MP, Marco Longhi, as well as Labour politicians in the area, dem...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article News Mitie NHS private contractors West Midlands Source Type: news