Hundreds of low-paid NHS hospital staff win improved terms after strike threat

Hundreds of low-paid NHS hospital workers are celebrating victory after bosses agreed to improve their terms and conditions following the threat of strike action.

More than 330 workers, mainly cleaners, caterers and porters, known as facilities staff, at St George’s, Epsom and St Helier hospital group (GESH) – 98% of those balloted – voted for strike action.

Cleaners, caterers and porters were brought in-house four years ago as NHS employees but were denied the same conditions as many other NHS workers, losing millions in pay and other entitlements over the years.

The workers said they had been systematically excluded from the NHS’s Agenda for Change (AfC) terms and were prepared to strike unless GESH granted them full AfC contracts.

Strike action was averted after a board vote on 6 November approved proposals to implement full AfC contracts.

A report from their union, United Voices of the World (UVW), accused the group of “institutional racism” because of differential pay and conditions for these in-house NHS workers, who are mostly from minority ethnic communities. According to the report, £32m had been lost in pay and benefits and £6m in withheld pensions.

It said the facilities staff were entitled to a maximum of £13.85 an hour, while other NHS workers at the hospital group received a minimum rate of £14.92 an hour.

Holiday entitlement is also less for the facilities employees, who get 24 days’ holiday with no increase depending on their length of service, unlike other colleagues who receive up to 33 days plus bank holidays. Employer pension contributions are 3%, compared with 23.7% for other NHS workers.

Pujan Sherpa, a cleaner for nine years at St Helier hospital and a UVW member, welcomed the deal. She said: “I’m very happy about the new contract. Now we have a pay rise, NHS holidays, NHS pensions. They will finally pay us better for working weekends, for example, which I do. Having more money in our pockets will have a big impact on our family life.”

Petros Elia, the UVW general secretary, said: “This deal was not handed to these workers — it was extracted through their unity, courage, and the threat of strike action. After years of being ignored, underpaid and treated worse than second class, they forced the trust to treat them as equals. This victory is a testament to the power of workers standing together. They are true NHS heroes.”

A spokesperson for Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS trust said:“We are proud of the diversity of our workforce and our board has taken decisive action to end an historical arrangement that left some of our people paid different rates for doing similar work.

“We will now consult with our porters, cleaners, catering and patient transport colleagues on our proposals to move towards NHS Agenda for Change, with a pay rise of more than £2,000 and increased annual leave starting from April 2026.”