Solidarity with strikers at the Royal Berkshire

As Unite members who are security staff at the Royal Berkshire Hospital take strike action, the LRC has sent a message of support. Like many outsourced staff, these workers employed by the massive Kingdom Services are being denied parity with NHS staff.

Date 7th January 2021

To: Unite members, Kingdom Services workers

On behalf of the NEC of the Labour Representation Committee (LRC) we offer our full support and solidarity to security staff at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading in their continuing strike action seeking a modest pay increase to £12 an hour for security officers and £13.00 an hour for security supervisors.

We salute your courage in taking on a major global organisation with a £100 million turnover, together with your determination in the face of both this ongoing struggle and the freezing weather. We support your plan for strike action through to February 12th in order to have your demands met.

The LRC notes that Unite members provide security 24/7 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital which is on the Covid-19 frontline. And further note that the employer continues to refuse to engage in meaningful talks over the 2020 pay award and other issues, such as harmonisation of sick pay, and enhanced pay for working nights, weekends and overtime.

The LRC deplores – in particular – the employer’s use of agency staff to undermine the strike, and agree with Unite that this is legally questionable during industrial action.

The LRC works closely with comrades in Keep Our NHS Public and shares KONP's aim to get all public health services returned to the NHS, which will then ensure all workers have the same reasonable and living wage terms and conditions.

Please use the LRC name and logo in any communications as you think suitable. We are also happy to add our name to letters to management, lobbying against the cynical plan to impose these new contracts.

 Strength in Unity,

 Steve Wright

 On behalf of the LRC NEC