“South London hospital workers strike for £10 an hour”, 21 March 2016

Hospital workers at four south London hospitals struck for a £10 an hour living wage this morning, Monday. The GMB union members are fighting US multinational Aramark for a £10 an hour living wage.

The predominately women migrant workers from Africa, South America and eastern Europe work across the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust’s four mental health hospitals.

Outsourcing giant Aramark raked in profits of £267 million worldwide in 2015. But it only pays many of its workers £7.48 an hour—more than £2 below the London Living Wage

Those who began working after Aramark took over the contract from outsourcer ISS have worse pay and terms and conditions.

As Katarina told Socialist Worker, “Our contract is rubbish. You only get sick pay after three days and it ends after ten days. You don’t get that in your first year. You only get 20 days holiday a year.”

Workers also said that the workload has gone up. Katy told Socialist Worker, “It’s really difficult—there’s more work but less money.”

Jane added, “You’re expected to work and work and work. I’m by myself now, before there was two of us doing the same amount of work.”

But workers have shown how they can take on the bosses—and their fight is part of a broader struggle against NHS privatisation.