Catherwood LibraryILR School

Hospital porters at the University Hospital Southampton located in Southern England have voted to authorize strike action, claiming that hospital managers have imposed restrictive rules that have negatively affected hospital employees. Porters have stated that the hospital now requires porters to ask for permission to go to the bathroom, and female porters need to request extra time if they are menstruating. The hospital has also allegedly removed chairs to prevent porters from taking breaks during their shifts. The porters are represented by the UNITE union and have planned to strike for 24 hours starting on November 28th. Strike action is set to continue in December and January, and porters will picket in front of the hospital every Monday and Friday during these two months. Hospital management released a statement saying that porters are provided three official breaks during their shifts, and no employees are required to report menstruation.