Midland hospital workers win Covid bonus pay

HUNDREDS of hospital workers who performed vital roles during the pandemic will finally be paid a Covid bonus which had been withheld from them.

Over 300 workers in Dudley held three days of strike action in a row over the £1,655 they claimed they were entitled to in recognition of their efforts during the pandemic.

Union bosses said their employer, Mitie, had previously refused to pay the bonus – despite the huge challenges many hospital workers went through during Covid.

But it has now confirmed the money will be handed over following a successful bid for funding to the Department of Health and Social Care.

The lump sum was given to workers employed by the NHS back in June, sparking claims the Mitie staff had been unfairly left out.

The sum was part of a deal agreed for all staff on NHS contracts and Agenda for Change pay scales, but Mitie said it could not afford to pay up, the Unison union said.

They include full-time health workers, including porters, domestics, sterile services and catering staff based at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.

Further strikes planned for next week have now been cancelled in light of the victory but union bosses insisted the money must be paid to staff immediately.

Unison West Midlands regional organiser Ollie Hopkins said: “This is a victory for the hundreds of lowpaid health workers employed by Mitie in Dudley. They worked through the pandemic in the most challenging conditions imaginable.

“It is only right they receive the same Covid bonus payment as directly employed NHS staff. Workers took the tough decision to make a stand and show their strength of feeling.

“The high-profile strike action created pressure that focused the minds of Mitie executives and has ended the dispute. But Mitie generates huge profits and had the ability to pay its staff all along. It could have easily avoided this strike. “Unison and Unite have called off further action due to take place next week. Mitie must now get this money into the pockets of its workers immediately.”