Corfu Hospital to use contract cleaners again

Corfu Hospital Cleaners' Union has decided to hold 4-hour work stoppages on Thursday 3rd, 11:00-15:00 and Friday 4th, 17:00-21:00 in protest against the hospital employing contract cleaners again.

The union is asking for the support of all the unions and the Corfu public in the hope that they will stand with them once again.

Union statement:

The previously failed model of using contract cleaners is returning to Corfu Hospital. The hospital is already proceeding with the online tender.

The ND Government is not bringing back the legislation to allow recruitment of cleaners via ASEP (Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection) and the Health Minister Thanos Plevris has said that there will only be a 3-month extension for personnel until the completion of the online tender procedures.

The use of contract cleaners at Corfu Hospital has been tried in the past and failed, as shown by dozens of reports between 2015 and 2017 of poor labour relations and unpaid wages.

According to the feasibility study carried out at the hospital, in the period 2016-17 the contractor cost 40% more and used materials provided by the hospital, compared to individual contracts with staff, which cost less.

During a pandemic, the government obsessively denies that supervised workers fulfil ongoing, basic needs and thus guarantee the safety of the patient. Following a general assembly on Friday 25 February, it was decided unanimously to hold 4-hour work stoppages on Thursday 3rd, 11:00-15:00 and Friday 4th, 17:00-21:00.

We are asking for the support of all the unions and the Corfu public in the hope that they will stand with us once again.