| (29/05/12) Angry cleaners will gather outside Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge this evening to burn letters from their employer telling them to take a 21% pay cut or face the sack. The UNISON protest comes after the cleaners were told that their employer Medirest wants to save £600,000 a year – and that half of this would come from cutting their wages. UNISON regional organiser Phil Gooden said: "Medirest won the cleaning contract by putting in a bid they knew would mean making massive cuts to workers' pay. "These are some of the lowest-paid workers, carrying out a vital role keeping Addenbrookes Hospital free from infections like MRSA and c.diff, and this is how they are rewarded." Elizabetha Urbaniak, one of the affected cleaners, said: "Me and my husband both work the evening shift and the changes will affect us twice over. "We will lose £600 a month, but Medirest is expecting us to work the same number of hours." Fellow cleaner, Gerald Tigalo, said: "These proposals will have a big impact on my family. "I can't start work at the earlier time because I look after the children while my wife is at work. "We need to pay our rent and other bills. If I lose £240 a month, we cannot survive." Mr Gooden added: "Last year, Compass Group – which owns Medirest – made worldwide pre-tax profits of £958,000,000. "It's an absolute disgrace that already low-paid, hard=working staff are having their wages cut to increase the profits of the fat cats." The workers say they are determined to fight the pay cuts and have asked UNISON to ballot them on taking industrial action. They have also called on patients, visitors and staff to boycott the shops run by Medirest at Addenbrookes Hospital. Activists' zone: Addenbrookes cleaners fight back UNISON in healthcare UNISON eastern region |