Nearly 300 staff at Guys and St Thomas's to walk out over low pay and workplace issues

Hundreds of the lowest paid workers at Guys and St Thomas's Trust are to take further strike action over the coming weeks due to poverty levels of pay.

NHS band two workers in central London earn just £15.89 per hour and perform some of the toughest roles within the hospital - such as cleaners, porters, stores operatives and food service assistants - yet are treated appallingly by the trust’s management.

Alongside poverty pay levels staff have a number of long running complaints that the trust’s management have failed to address. This includes racist and bullying behaviour by facilities management, issues over bank contracts and hours, a failure to provide adequate welfare facilities like showers or changing facilities and the failure to provide adequate safety equipment to security staff.

Striking workers will also march on Downing Street to express their anger directly to politicians in this latest round of industrial action. Failure to address their concerns could see strikes escalating into the new year.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Guys and St Thomas's is one of the country's biggest NHS trusts but is treating its staff with utter disdain. They cannot survive living in London on poverty-level wages.

"Our members are the backbone of the hospital - keeping it clean, feeding patients and staff or keeping the public safe - but they are paid barely above the minimum wage. This cannot continue and they have the full support of their union in this dispute."

Workers at GSTT will head to the picket line on19-21 October with more strike dates planned throughout the autumn if NHS management don't come back to the negotiating table with real solutions.

There will also be picket line demonstrations at various locations and a health workers' march to Downing Street. Media are invited for photo, video and interview opportunities.

Monday 19 October

Picket line - 07:00 to 10:30, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Entrance

Tuesday 20 October

Picket line - 07:00 to 10:30. Guy's Hospital, St Thomas Street, opposite the Shard

Wednesday 21st October

Picket line - 07:00 to 10:30, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road entrance

10.30am march from St Thomas’ Hospital to 10 Downing Street.

Unite lead health officer for London Tabusam Ahmed said: "It is heartbreaking to hear the struggles of these workers in their work places including having to put up with bullying and disrespect. Alongside multiple other failures of management, our members have been left with no option but to take strike action. "

"The trust has the power to resolve our pay dispute and work with Unite to build a culture of dignity and respect. This dispute will inevitably have a huge impact on service delivery across the trust, but this is entirely of the trust’s own making."