Crisis hit Synnovis laboratory will see staff walk out in
December
Unite, the UK's leading trade union has announced that its
members at crisis-hit pathology supplier Synnovis are to strike
for five days this month.
Staff are furious at how the privatised supplier of pathology
services has been treating them during a restructure and with
threats of redundancy, downgrading and unsafe staffing levels.
Unite members voted for industrial action and will head to the
picket line from 16 – 20
December outside the new Synnovis laboratory in
central London.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
"Synnovis, who have won a lucrative, long-term
outsourcing contract with the NHS, are now riding roughshod over
the wishes of its staff. Having exhausted all avenues open to
them, they have been left with little choice but to ballot for
industrial action. Synnovis need to think again about their
actions before they see our members on the picket line."
Synnovis, which is part of SynLab, has a 15 year contract to run
the outsourced pathology services for the 6 Hospitals (Guys, St
Thomas, Kings College, Princess Royal University Hospital, Royal
Brompton & Harefield) across 2 trusts (Kings College NHS
Foundation Trust, Guys & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust).
Synnovis has heavily invested in a new hub at Blackfriars and
plans to migrate the majority of its staff there, leaving only
skeletal essential services at each of the hospitals.
Unite regional officer Tabusam Ahmed added:
“Pathologists were previously employed directly by the
NHS but were outsourced and are now working for a private
company. This is a stark example of NHS privatisation driving
down pay and conditions for workers and leading to serious
concerns over patient safety.”
Over 500 members of Unite are deeply unhappy and concerned over
such a move. Job cuts will lead to a deterioration of pathology
services across London and a loss of jobs as staff leave due to
poor working conditions. The current and proposed staffing levels
are insufficient to meet regulatory requirements which will put
patients and staff wellbeing at risk. Synnovis was a victim of a
cyber attack in June 2024. This has had an alarming impact on
staff who have been forced to work additional hours and without
access to essential computer systems for months while the attack
has been dealt with.
