Streatham MP Bell-Ribeiro-Addy has expressed support for medical couriers working for The Doctors’ Laboratory (TDL), who have voted to take strike action after the company launched a redundancy process, which they claim unfairly targets trade unionists and whistleblowers.
NHS contractor TDL is the UK’s leading private pathology company, and its medical couriers have been working throughout the pandemic to transport Covid-19 samples between hospitals and labs.
The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), who represent the majority of the 152 couriers working for TDL in London and the South East, announced this morning that medical couriers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action over the proposed redundancies, and the company’s continued failure to address health and safety concerns.
IWGB has filed a trade union victimisation and whistleblower victimisation claim against the company at the employment tribunal. It states that, of the 10 workers being targeted for redundancy, the vast majority have been active in demanding better and safer working conditions.
Ms. Ribeiro-Addy has written to the NHS contractor’s parent company, Sonic Healthcare, insisting it does more to protect jobs and safeguard its workers.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Member of Parliament for Streatham, said:
“I stand with striking medical couriers at The Doctors’ Laboratory. Workers should not be punished for raising workplace health and safety issues or asking for better conditions.
“NHS contractors in particular should be setting a good example by protecting their employees during the pandemic.
“I’ve written to TDL’s parent company, Sonic Healthcare, calling on them to act before damage is done to livelihoods and reputations.”
Notes:
- ‘Covid-19 couriers vote to strike following victimisation by NHS contractor TDL’, IWGB website (28 May 2020) https://iwgb.org.uk/en/post/covid-19-couriers-vote-to-strike-following-victimisation-by-nhs-contractor-tdl
- Full text of letter below.
For further information about this press release, please contact Ollie Collard, Communications Officer, Office of Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP at oliver.collard@parliament.uk or on 07918110617.