Hundreds of low-paid NHS hospital staff win improved terms after strike threat

Source: The Guardian

More than 330 workers, mainly cleaners, caterers and porters, at St George’s, Epsom and St Helier hospital group voted to strike

Diane Taylor
Sun 16 Nov 2025 09.43 EST

Hundreds of low-paid NHS hospital workers are celebrating victory after bosses agreed to improve their terms and conditions following the threat of strike action.

More than 330 workers, mainly cleaners, caterers and porters, known as facilities staff, at St George’s, Epsom and St Helier hospital group (GESH) – 98% of those balloted – voted for strike action.

Cleaners, caterers and porters were brought in-house four years ago as NHS employees but were denied the same conditions as many other NHS workers, losing millions in pay and other entitlements over the years.

The workers said they had been systematically excluded from the NHS’s Agenda for Change (AfC) terms and were prepared to strike unless GESH granted them full AfC contracts.



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