By Vanessa Chalmers Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 12:20 BST, 16 May 2019 | Updated: 12:21 BST, 16 May 2019
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Emergency blood deliveries to large hospitals could be stalled when couriers plan to go on strike.
Around 100 cyclists, van drivers and motorcyclists travel plan to stop work for two days next week.
The couriers, who deliver to more than 50 NHS and private hospitals in London and the south-east, plan to strike over their pay and conditions.
Workers are outraged that directors of The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) are receiving huge pay rises in the meantime.
Emergency blood deliveries to large hospitals could be stalled when couriers plan to go on strike next week over their pay. Stock photo
Over the past two years, the union Independent Work's Union of Great Britain (IWGB) have challenged couriers' rights.
In 2018, couriers won full employment rights, giving them access to holiday pay, maternity leave and minimum wage.
It followed the TDL arguing its couriers were self-employed with no employment rights beyond basic health and safety and anti-discrimination rules.
The out of court settlement offered hope of job security for workers both within the company and among similar set-ups, such as Uber and Deliveroo.
But IWGB claim the company has reduced work and asked employees to cover the cost of their own equipment, the Guardian reports.
IWGB, the first to secure rights for the 'gig economy', the group of self-employed, said TDL was trying to employ more people under these circumstances.
The union is also calling for £1million in holiday pay to be returned to workers with the TDL.
While fighting to get better pay, those at the top of the company are raking in huge pay cheques, according to research by Corporate Watch.
TDL's highest paid director had doubled his pay since 2013 to £1.6million, with the top three directors together making £3million.
Sonic Healthcare – the company's Australian owner – last year paid out £180million to its shareholders, including the super-rich.
