Heavy snowfall has done little to dampen the spirits of the Sodexo staff as they man the picket lines outside North Devon District Hospital. Starting at 5am this morning, and continuing to around 10pm tonight, the well organised picket has braved the elements, with around 50 present at one point in the morning, a quarter of the total union membership on strike. Strikers have received remarkable public support, including plenty of warm food and drink, as well as regular honking of horns from cars passing by and entering the hospital, as well as loud vocal support from the council gritter drivers.
Meanwhile, the Trust are getting ever more agitated. At a meeting yesterday between the Union and the Trust, Trust Chief Executive threw what can only be described as a 'strop' at the Union representatives. There have also been threats of job losses, and of disciplinary action against one UNISON branch committee member for circulating an email rebuttal to the falsehoods spread by the Trust. Apparently, as a manager of a department, he should be fully supporting the Trust! None of this has impacted on the strike today though, and there has been silence from the Trust so far.
Tomorrow sees another day of strike action, with more planned the week after next if the Trust do not implement what they agreed to do originally by October 2006, with backdated pay.
Please keep sending messages of support and donations (cheques payable to North Devon UNISON Health Branch) to:
Bindy Sumner, UNISON Branch Secretary, Suite 2, Munro House, North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, North Devon.
Bindy's email address is: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
