Striking NHS staff vow to fight ‘reckless’ decision to outsource jobs

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) has made the “reckless” decision to outsource hundreds of cleaners, porters, housekeepers and other facilities staff, UNISON says today. Staff, who have already taken more than 30 days of strikes against the plans and are currently in the midst of a three-week walkout, have vowed to […]

Workers stand on the picket line

Essex and Suffolk health staff launch three-week strike to stay in the NHS

Cleaners, porters, housekeepers and other facilities staff start three weeks of strikes today to keep their jobs in the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), says UNISON. More than 350 workers, employed at Colchester Hospital, Aldeburgh Hospital and several other ESNEFT community sites, will walk out today until Friday 13 December – […]

Fury as leaked video shows ESNEFT boss telling staff at outsourcing would go ahead regardless

Health workers striking to stay in the NHS are up in arms after a leaked of the East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) chief executive surfaced suggesting the decision to privatise jobs had been made months ago, says UNISON today. The video – shot in May but only recently leaked to the Health […]

Essex and Suffolk NHS strikers tell public they’ve ‘no choice’ but to strike

Hospital support staff from across Essex and Suffolk have written an open letter to the public today explaining that they have “no choice” but to strike to stop their jobs being sold out of the NHS, says their union UNISON. Cleaners, porters, caterers and other non-clinical support workers at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS […]

A large group of pickets at Colchester Hospital

Colchester Hospital bosses ‘risked patient safety’ during strike

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) bosses put patient safety at risk by bringing in untrained strikebreakers during last month’s industrial action, says UNISON today. In a letter to ESNEFT chief executive Nick Hulme, the union highlights “serious concerns” about the trust’s “reckless” decision which saw staff brought in from as far […]

Colchester Hospital cleaners and porters stage week-long strike to stay in the NHS

​Hundreds of cleaners, porters, housekeepers and other Colchester Hospital support staff are to stage a week-long strike as they battle to keep their jobs in the NHS, says UNISON today. ​The walkout – from Monday 19 to Friday 23 August – will also hit several community sites run by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS […]

ESNEFT workers lobby a trust board meeting

Colchester Hospital staff vote to strike over sell-off plans

Hundreds of cleaners, porters, caterers and other facilities staff at Colchester Hospital have voted to strike against plans to sell their jobs out of the NHS, UNISON says today. Workers voted 99% in favour of walkouts over the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust’s (ESNEFT) intention to outsource facilities staff, says the union. […]

‘Shortchanged’ Colchester and Ipswich healthcare support staff vote to strike

More than 300 staff at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) have voted to strike after years of not being paid the full rate for the job, says UNISON today. An overwhelming 96% of clinical support staff backed strike action in a formal ballot, says the union. The workers, employed at the […]

Colchester Hospital staff vote on strikes over jobs sell-off, says UNISON

Hundreds of cleaners, porters, caterers and other facilities staff at Colchester Hospital are to vote on whether to strike over plans to take their jobs out of the NHS, UNISON has announced today. ​Facilities staff at several East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) community sites are also balloting on strikes.​ ESNEFT also […]

Privatisation threatened at Colchester and Ipswich hospitals

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) has told hundreds of cleaners, porters and caterers today their jobs could be moved out of the NHS, says UNISON. In a letter to staff, chief executive Nick Hulme says the trust is to privatise housekeeping, security and other services related to the running of Colchester […]