Pay Parity for OCS Staff!

I have been shocked to learn that key workers delivering critical cleaning and catering services in the NHS in Lancashire have for years been paid less than NHS colleagues by their employer OCS, a private multi-national company, whilst making profits from this service.

I am doubly shocked to hear that, only after these workers, who worked throughout the pandemic, whom we applauded, have been forced to ballot for strike action did the company made any movement on this, but then refused to provide back pay or full NHS terms and conditions.

I note these workers have, and are continuing to take, strike action because of this company’s intransigence. I believe the company won’t reward work done at the proper rate back to when the workers complained that they wont provide proper sick pay, or NHS holidays or unsocial hours payments.

It seems plain to me that these services, for highly vulnerable patients with mental health difficulties, have to be provided to a high standard. It is therefore unthinkable that a company would ‘penny-pinch’ and under pay the people who do this work. Particularly that workers might have to see their families suffer hardship if they were to stay away from work when ill.

If the defence for outsourcing services that are critical to the NHS mission as been that their employers cut corners by paying less than the proper rate, then surely it is time these services were brought back into the NHS. I would strongly urge you to consider doing just that when this contract is up.