WORKERS at a major London NHS trust have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action over pay and staffing levels, their union Unite announced today.

Hundreds of cleaners, caterers, porters, security guards, ward hosts and domestic staff across the Barts Health NHS Trust backed walkouts by a whopping 95 per cent margin, the health union said.

Last year, Unite secured a landmark agreement that transferred 1,800 of the workers previously outsourced to contractor Serco to direct health service employment.

But more than 1,000 are now up in arms that Barts bosses are refusing to pay them a £1,665 lump sum, which was part of the deal, according to the union.

Moves by senior management to disregard workers’ length of service while outsourced and to pay inferior overtime rates are also hitting wage packets, it added. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said her overstretched members — under increasing pressure amid record vacancy rates — are rightly refusing to be short-changed.

She warned the workers and their reps will soon meet to organise strike dates. 

A spokesperson for the trust told the Morning Star that as some staff were still employed by Serco on March 31 2023 - the day before in-housing began - they "do not qualify for the lump sum under the terms of the national NHS pay deal.

"We are committed to working with our staff and unions to find a resolution and avoid industrial action."