Southampton hospital security staff call off strike

Mitie Security workers have already carried out two strikes outside Southampton General Hospital

A third day of strike action by hospital security staff at Southampton General Hospital has been called off.

The 21 security workers were due to walk out on Friday in a dispute over safety, pay and sick leave conditions.

The Unite union said the strike had been suspended while its members voted on new proposals after negotiations with employer Mitie Security Ltd.

Security staff previously carried out two days of strike action on 5 and 19 April.

They voted for a series of walkouts over pay, what they claim is a lack of protective equipment, and inadequate payments for staff injured at work.

The union has claimed the staff are regularly attacked by members of the public in the A&E department. The strike ballot will close on 17 May.

'Gauntlets and gloves'

Mitie Security said: "...we are pleased that Unite is now giving our offer the full consideration it deserves.

"In addition to the proposed increase to £9.50 per hour for all public facing staff already offered - equating to a 14% increase in the last seven months - supervisors will now also see a pay increase to £10.50 per hour, a 6% rise over the same period.

"We had already agreed a further 2% increase for this coming February... which will total a 16% and 8% increase over 18 months for public facing staff and supervisors respectively."

The company said it has invested in bodyworn cameras, safety gauntlets and gloves, while new bodyworn protection will start arriving next week.

A spokesperson for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said: "We are pleased progress has been made in talks between Unite and Mitie and hope to see a formal agreement reached in the near future.

"We would like to thank security officers for their continued professionalism and Mitie for ensuring its security service has been maintained appropriately throughout the periods of strike action."