Around 600 workers at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Scotland have won their campaign against proposed measures to move their pay to monthly from weekly by their employer, Serco.
The workers operate across cleaning, catering, portering and security roles at the hospital and are members of trade union Unison. The private contracting firm owns the contract for all of the hospital’s facilities.
In May, the firm announced plans to change the workers’ pay frequency in a letter, stating: “As you were aware, we are moving to monthly pay”. However, the workers claims that this was the first they had heard of the measure. They said they were told that if they refused to accept the new conditions, they would be fired and rehired.
A staff survey by Union found that 67% said they would experience major financial difficulty if the move went ahead. Following this, it deployed a range of tactics, from placard-making sessions to hiring an van with an electronic billboard, reading: “Serco profits from public money while threatening NHS staff with fire and rehire”.
Additionally, Unison hired an ice cream van parked outside the hospital and offered free ice creams for all NHS and Serco-employed staff. These actions gained the union press attention, and when the union balloted for strike action, there was an 82% turnout and 99% voted for strike action.
As a result, there will not be a compulsory transition to monthly pay or any fire and rehire measures. All workers can keep their pay weekly if they want, and only new starters will be paid on a monthly basis.
A Serco spokesperson said: “Following our consultation relating to pay frequency with staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, we have agreed that staff can voluntarily choose to move to monthly pay. This decision reflects our ongoing commitment to listen to our staff, and to implement any agreed changes in a structured and considered manner.”
Greig Kelbie, regional organiser at Unison, added: “We built confidence, we built numbers, and that gave us the leverage to win. This isn’t just a victory on pay frequency, it’s proof that when members stand together, we can stop bad changes in their tracks and protect what matters most. The impact is huge, both in the workplace and in showing Serco that our members won’t be pushed around.”
