Urgent appeal – stop privatisation in East Suffolk and North Essex NHS

Hundreds of essential support staff at Colchester Hospital and community sites run by the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), face being sold out of the NHS.  The Trust has decided to sell its soft facilities management – cleaning, catering, portering, security, and more – out of the NHS, to be run by a private company.

 

This is bad for staff and bad for patients. We know that when private companies step in to provide NHS services, it usually results in staff being on worse pay and conditions, and not able to provide the best services for patients.

 

Trust leaders won’t explain how they can justify the decision to privatise these services and won’t listen to staff who are telling them to stop. Branch members are in the fight of their lives, battling to stay in the NHS and have been forced to prepare for industrial action. In a legal ballot, a massive 99% have voted to strike on an 83% turnout.

 

UNISON is doing everything to convince the Trust to reverse its decision and keep these vital services in the NHS but if senior managers won’t listen, our members will have to take strike action. We would appreciate any help your branch can give in this battle.

 

How your branch can support this appeal

 

 

  • Encourage your members to show support by signing our petition to send a message to the trust board that we want services delivered by the NHS.

 

  • Branches and members in the local area can also write to their MP asking them to act.

 

  • Donate to the strike fund to support these members, who are some of the NHS’s lowest paid staff. Please send your donation to:

 

UNISON Colchester & Ipswich Area Health

UNITY Bank

Sort code: 60-83-01

Account number: 20403881

Reference: STRIKE

 

Thank you for your support.