GMB members, in dispute with Carillion at Great Western PFI Hospital in Swindon since December 2011, today demonstrated at Southmead Hospital in Bristol over the on-going dispute and blacklisting by Carillion.
150 GMB members employed by Carillion at Swindon have taken 21 days of strike action over the persistent failure of the Carillion management to deal with evidence of bribery and corruption on the contract which was covered up for some years. The matter is now before an Employment Tribunal following the failure of talks at ACAS to resolve the dispute.
These same members will be protesting outside RIBA for Guardian Sustainability awards in London 16th May from 12:30pm. Last month it was announced that Carillion has been shortlisted in the Society category for the Guardian Sustainable Business Awards 2013 with its entry on the Southmead Hospital redevelopment project in Bristol.
Carolle Vallelly, GMB Regional Officer, said
GMB is nowhere near resolving the dispute at Swindon or reaching a settlement on blacklisting. In fact the dispute between Carillion and GMB is set to widen as Carillion ignores TUC guidelines for dealing with trades unions in hospitals covered by PFI schemes in other parts of the UK. Carillion has got to come to terms with what their managers have done to workers in Swindon and to the workers they blacklisted. There is not much use just making apologies. They have to accept what they did was wrong and then take steps to put it right. Until this happens there will be no end to this dispute.
Ms Vallelly added
For Carillion to be shortlisted for any award, given the sheer hypocrisy at the heart of the company, is appalling. GMB is examining various ways of conveying this to MPs when the company parades its spurious credentials at a reception in Parliament next week.”
