29.08.2025 / Press releases / St Helier and Epsom

Strike vote by hospital workers pushes board to consider full NHS AfC contracts

A historic strike ballot has secured commitment from St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group (GESH) Board to vote on Agenda for Change (AfC) terms and conditions for NHS facilities workers.

• A historic strike ballot has secured commitment from St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group (GESH) Board to vote on Agenda for Change (AfC) terms and conditions for NHS facilities workers.
  
• GESH made the commitment after over 300 cleaners, porters and caterers voted for strike action last week.

• The workers, members of United Voices of the World (UVW) union are NHS-employed but still denied NHS pay and other benefits after 4 years and demand full Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts and an end to second-class status;

• Workers receive inferior sick pay, annual leave, minimum pay rates, pension contributions and get no NHS enhancements and annual leave entitlements.

• This is the first time NHS workers have voted to strike to secure the basic NHS terms and conditions set out in AfC contracts while being directly employed by the NHS.

A historic strike ballot by over 300 NHS facilities workers – cleaners, porters, and caterers – has forced St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group (GESH) for the first time to put Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts for these workers to a Board vote.

As a result of this commitment strike action, initially expected to commence in September, has been postponed.

The workers, members of UVW, have been employed by the NHS for the past 4 years but have been denied basic NHS terms and conditions.

This is the first time NHS workers have voted to strike to win equal sick pay, pensions, annual leave entitlements, enhancements, and minimum pay, as the rest of their NHS colleagues already receive.

 Contracts for NHS staff are governed by the 2004 Agenda for Change (AfC), which provides much better conditions than privately outsourced workers. Despite doing essential frontline work, facilities workers at St Heliers and Epsom Hospitals earn less than NHS Band 2 staff – £13.85 per hour versus £14.92 – losing out on thousands annually.  They also miss out on key benefits such as paid sick leave from day 1, and enhanced pay for nights and weekends, which can boost NHS wages to £20 and £27 per hour for Band 2.

Their pension contributions are just 3%, far below the standard NHS rate of 23%, and they are stuck on 24 days’ holiday, with no increase for length of service, unlike colleagues who receive up to 33 days plus Bank Holidays. 

The dispute has already seen results, with the board acknowledging last month that having denied these workers NHS pensions for the past four years has been unlawful. All workers will now be enrolled in NHS pensions and will receive back payments.

 
Farrokh Hormoz, UVW member and porter at St Helier said:

“The lowest paid staff have been ignored for many years, and only now that hundreds of us are all ready to strike, they are finally starting to listen. We deserve equal treatment just like any other NHS worker, and we will not stop until we get equal rights which the Trust Board has deliberately taken away from us. If we have to strike, we all are ready.”

Petros Elia, UVW General Secretary said: 

“Our members have shown incredible unity, strength and bravery. They have delivered the strongest message workers can by voting in their hundreds to down tools for dignity, equality and respect. For the first time in 4 years a decision for a GESH board vote on full AfC for facilities staff is on the table. Our members now have a roadmap with timelines to equality. So, whilst strike action is paused for now, our members are clear, they will hold the board to account every step of the way and if it is not agreed to treat them as equals and given them AfC contracts then strike action will commence.”
 

For more information contact the UVW comms team. 

Isabel or Oli: 07706 987443 

E-mail: comms@uvwunion.org.uk    

Notes for editors 

United Voices of the World is an anti-racist, member-led, direct action, campaigning trade union and we exist to support and empower the most vulnerable groups of precarious, low-paid and predominantly BAME and migrant workers in the UK. We fight the bosses through direct action on the streets and through the courts and demand that all members receive at least the London Living Wage, full pay, sick pay, dignity, equality and respect.

Visit the Equality Now campaign page >>

Facilities workers face the GESH board >>

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