Caterers, housekeepers, security guards and porters employed by Serco at Great Western Hospital in Swindon will take further strike action in their ongoing dispute over pay, says Unison.

Workers will begin their second 48-hour walkout at 7am on 11 November as they demand the same one-off payments already awarded to their NHS colleagues. They previously took action in September.

The wage deal agreed for NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts in June 2023 included two lump-sum payments for the previous financial year (2022/23). However, the union says Serco has refused to pass on the one-off bonuses – worth at least £1,655 – to Great Western employees.

Earlier this year, similar disputes at other healthcare sites, including in North Devon and Wiltshire, were resolved after employees secured the lump-sum payment through strike action.

Unison South West regional organiser Tom Kennedy-Hughes said: ‘Serco's refusal to honour the NHS pay deal is deeply unjust and has left hard-working hospital staff struggling to make ends meet.'

He added: ‘It's not too late for Serco to avoid further disruption. The company simply needs to treat its employees fairly.'

The trust was unavailable to comment at the time of writing.