Negotiations over washing facilities for staff have broken down, as Unite says that Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is unwilling to provide sanitary cleaning conditions that match those of senior staff.

The Rapid Response Team (RRT) at Guys’ and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, responsible for controlling the spread of infections, will go on strike from 17-28th March, after negotiations with the Trust broke down over the washing facilities provided to staff during and after their shifts, according to the union Unite.

More than 40 members of the Unite trade union who work in the RRT are to take part in a second round of strike action after no improvements to their working conditions or commitments to do so have been made by the trust. RRT staff work to clean and sterilise areas of the hospital to prevent the outbreak of infectious diseases.

However, Unite says that “the Trust has failed to provide adequate welfare facilities such as showers, changing areas, rest areas or toilets for staff to use before, during and after their shifts.”

Workers will now strike from 17-28 March inclusive to highlight their situation and put pressure on the Trust to improve their working conditions. According to Unite, staff are also unhappy about their job description and grading, which makes them among the lowest paid workers in the hospital, earning little above minimum wage.

Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “It is a disgrace that workers at the coalface of NHS care, ensuring hospitals are clean and controlling the spread of potentially life-threatening diseases, are treated with such utter disdain by hospital management.

“Our members have the full backing of Unite union in their fight for humane facilities.”

Given the work the RRTs complete, it is likely that highly infectious sections, rooms or wards will not be available for the strike’s duration due to specialised cleaning not taking place. This also increases the threat of high-risk outbreaks.  Patients will therefore not be able to be admitted, certain operations won’t go ahead, and some areas of the hospitals may have to be closed.

Unite Regional Officer, Tabusam Ahmed, added: “Our members are rightly furious about the situation they’ve found themselves in. These mainly BAME staff work all times of day and night in dangerous and unpleasant environments to keep hospitals clean and safe of the most infectious and contagious diseases. And yet they are told they aren’t valued and that they will remain on the lowest pay band. This is absolutely unacceptable.”