Unpaid wages demo

Low paid staff, contracted by outsourcing firm ISS, at Macclesfield District General Hospital are staging a protest tomorrow (April 18) against ISS’ plans to withhold up to a week of their pay after the company decided to upgrade its payroll system.

ISS employs hospital cleaners, porters and domestic staff at Macclesfield hospital, many of whom are paid hourly and earn the minimum wage.  The protest will take place on Thursday, April 18 from 3pm to 6pm outside the main entrance to Macclesfield District General Hospital, Victoria Road SK10 3BL.

The staff, mainly women, are angry that they will have to wait nearly three weeks after their last pay date to receive only two weeks wages. A week’s pay will be withheld and paid to workers when they eventually leave the company – so in reality they are losing a week’s pay.

“This group of workers are already on the minimum wage,” Unite regional officer Derek Jones said. “Many are lone parents and live pay packet to pay packet. The pay changes will push our members further into financial difficulties, leaving them struggling to pay the bills, mortgage or rent and put food on the tables for their families.

“Clearly this is not understood by ISS, which makes millions of pounds profit every year, in the UK alone by paying these workers the minimum wage.

“At the end of December 2018, parent company ISS Mediclean’s annual turnover was ÂŁ413m and gross profit was ÂŁ61m. ISS is treating its workers, who bring the company these enormous profits, disgracefully,” he added.

“The amount of interest being earned by ISS on these held back wages must be phenomenal and shows the greed of the company when it’s already making significant profits on the backs of its mainly female workforce.

“We hope members of the public will join us on Thursday outside Macclesfield hospital from 3pm to 6pm to support these low paid workers in their fight to win back their pay.”

Unite is calling on ISS management to reconsider its proposals and find a solution that does not leave our members financially worse off, or in a position where any bridging loan would require extortionate repayments