ROYAL staff will stage their first industrial action in history as years of pay restrictions have left Windsor Castle wardens struggling to survive, their union announced yesterday.

Over 80 per cent of royal workers — who are represented by the PCS union — voted to take action short of a strike.

As reported by the Star last month, Windsor wardens are currently paid below the living wage, with salaries starting at a meagre £14,400 a year.

On top of their daily duties, staff are expected to deliver unpaid services such as tours and translation for visitors.

A protesting worker, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of dismissal, told the Star: “We all enjoy our work and we’re very loyal, but our pay is way too low and you can clearly see in the ballot result how we feel.

“Our dispute isn’t with the Queen, it’s with our employer that runs the castle in her name.”

Wardens will start their action at the end of the month, refusing to perform all unpaid activities.

Negotiations between their union and the Royal Collection Trust, which manages the castle, took place last year when workers demanded the living wage.

But despite accepting what the union labelled an “unsatisfactory pay offer,” the trust failed to implement additional allowances for work which has so far been done out of goodwill.

A spokeswoman for the Royal Collection Trust said the action taken by wardens was “disappointing” and that it would have no effect on the visitors’ experience at Windsor Castle.

She added that the trust had “since last year been exploring ways to achieve an agreed level of pay for all warden staff.

“Conversations that are part of the annual pay review process are still ongoing and an offer to expand the salary scale for a warden has been put to PCS and other unions.”

The offer would mean an annual increase of less than £300 a year for those working an average 36-hour week.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said of the very first industrial action taken against the royals: “These loyal workers are the public face of Windsor Castle and with this vote their message to their employer is loud and clear.

“Staff should be properly rewarded for their commitment to ensuring visitors from around the world can fully enjoy their time at the castle.”

Campaigning group Republic chief executive Graham Smith echoed the sentiment when he said that the “Queen has to take responsibility for this.”

The royals, he added, “need to look very seriously at how they are treating their staff.

“It’s unbelievable that one of our wealthiest institutions, which the taxpayer funds at £300 million a year, is not prepared to pay a living wage, and a generous living wage, to their staff.”