THE news that the government has agreed to accept a compromise deal on hospital staff is the result of union activity, particularly by UNISON, to force an agreement that NHS cleaners, porters, security workers, cooks and laundry staff, remain NHS employees.

Pay and conditions of service will now be protected and will not be subject to whims of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) consortia.

At the time of writing, supervisors have been excluded and UNISON reserves the right to withdraw if agreements are found to be failing.

The new deal will affect Havering Hospital which will be built under PFI management and is in the process of negotiating with two consortia The Bouygues Consortium and Ctalyst Healthcare.

Our own King George Hospital is in this group. It is too early to comment on these negotiations.

The position of the TUC is quite clear on this issue of PFI privately built hospitals under non-public management.

Most unions are totally opposed to PFI schemes because they have failed to live up to the promise of value for money and the small print in their contracts leaves much to be desired.

The cost of PFI is much higher than Government-backed schemes to build and finance hospitals.

UNISON is also promoting a cinema advertising programme which will bring to the public notice the failures of PFI.

EDDIE GREENSTEIN, Redbridge Trades Union Council secretary.