Croydon Hospital cleaners and porters to protest about not getting paid if they get Covid – so they have to go to work

Hospital cleaners and porters who say they are on “poverty pay”  have vowed to protest over a sick pay dispute involving the coronavirus pandemic.

Some workers at Croydon University Hospital claim that they have not been receiving full sick pay after they tested positive for Covid-19 and went off work.

As a result some are having to go into work with symptoms – putting patients at further risk.

The GMB union claims staff were given full sick pay after testing positive for Covid-19 for a time – but it now knows of staff who test positive but are only receiving the basic statutory sick pay from the government, equivalence to £96 a week.

Staff hardship is so severe that

• One has had to use a foodbank because they have no income
• one could not afford milk for a new baby
• migrant staff cannot afford the thousands of pounds it costs to renew their visas

Cleaning and porter services are outsourced by the hospital to private firm G4S.

When contacted, G4S disputed this claim but the GMB union still plans to go ahead with a protest outside the hospital on Monday, January 31.

One hospital cleaner,  who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “People are forced to come to work as there is no sick pay.

“People feel pressured, bills are going up they have to make the decision whether to work or not.

“I have bills to pay, and I have three kids. If I am off sick, my money has to go to rent, it means less money for shopping.

“Even before Covid, people were coming to work with colds because there is no sick pay.”

The cleaner said he earned around £1,200 a month, after tax, for working five or six days a week.

He added some of his colleagues did receive full sick pay as they were in the job before the NHS contracted out the services more than five years ago.

GMB organiser Helen O’Connor, said: “Our hard-working members are sick and tired of being abused and exploited by G4S.

“They are on poverty pay and to add insult to injury they are being denied wages if they come down with covid.”

She called on Croydon NHS trust to bring the contract back in house so workers would be guaranteed sick pay.

A G4S spokesperson said: “The well-being of our staff is paramount. Our employees receive sick pay as per their contractual terms and in line with all Government and Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) guidelines.

“Employees who have not been able to attend work due to Covid-19 have received full pay.”

But Ms O’Connor has hit back. She said: “I have not heard anything from G4S. The members are all telling me they are on statutory sick pay.

“I am hearing some cleaners and porters are refusing to go into the Covid areas. They are terrified of catching it and having to go off sick.

“We are still going to do our protest on January 31.”

A spokesperson for Croydon University Hospital said: “Our portering and domestic teams play a vital role in the care we deliver to our patients and their continued safety and well-being remains our top priority.

“G4S, our contracted providers, have confirmed to the trust all employees continue to receive full pay for Covid-19 related sickness.”

Staff in other hospitals are getting only two days of sick pay – not enough to cover the minimum six-day quarantine if they test positive.