June 13, 2018
by socialistiain

Health workers and supporters protest against ‘Wholly-owned subsidiaries’ across West Yorkshire – photo courtesy of Leeds Keep Our NHS Public
Four Yorkshire branches of health union Unison are balloting simultaneously for strikes against plans to transfer estates and facilities workers into separate companies – owned by NHS trusts, but outside the NHS.
Adrian O’Malley, secretary, Unison Mid Yorkshire health branch (personal capacity)
Calderdale and Huddersfield, Bradford, Leeds, and Mid Yorkshire plan coordinated strikes across West Yorkshire if the trusts do not back down.
Mid Yorkshire Unison has voted 97.4% in favour of striking on a 57.8% turnout – smashing the Tories’ undemocratic anti-strike ballot thresholds! “The message to the trust board cannot be clearer – we are 100% NHS!”
Up and down England, NHS workers are organising against similar plans. The companies are called ‘special purpose vehicles’ or ‘wholly owned subsidiaries’. Trusts use them to avoid paying VAT and employ staff outside nationally agreed terms and conditions.
Unison members struck for 48 hours at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust on 23 May against transfer into a company called WWL Solutions. Hundreds attended the picket lines outside the hospitals, determined to fight to remain in the NHS.
NHS bosses thought they could move the staff over into new companies under ‘Tupe’ transfer law without a fight. They have been taken by surprise by workers’ determination to retain NHS employment.
Mass meetings, petitions, lobbies and indicative ballots have been held across the country. They have attracted support from other health workers and community groups, who rightly see this as yet another step towards the privatisation of the NHS.
The struggle is showing that low-paid workers are prepared to fight for their terms and conditions and their status as NHS workers. The lesson from Yorkshire is that we are stronger when we organise together and fight together.
As the Yorkshire NHS staff are saying: “We are 100% NHS and will fight to remain so!”
March to defend the NHS on it’s 70th birthday
Saturday 30th June, London
Transport is being organised by Leeds TUC, including a Wakefield pick-up —visit their website for info, leedstuc.wordpress.com or via ‘Leeds TUC’ on facebook