Coventry porters' action wins a cash prize

Forty porters, members of T&G and Unison, at the new PFI-funded University Hospital in Coventry stopped work for four hours on Friday of last week.

They forced management to resolve outstanding pay issues. The workers are managed by ISS Mediclean, but continue to be paid by the hospital trust.

Since 14 August they have had protected pay to cover for a change in working hours. Up to Friday this money had not been paid. One porter had to borrow money to buy school uniforms for his children before the start of term.

When the porters refused to work, management magically appeared with boxes of envelopes filled with cash, in partial settlement of the porters’ grievances.