A NHS trust apologised today after 98 per cent of services staff voted to strike over a £36-million shortfall in pay, benefits and pension contributions as well as alleged “systemic racial inequality” over the past four years.

Staff — mainly migrant cleaners, caterers and porters — at St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group (GESH), demanding Agenda for Change (AfC) pay, conditions and equality terms, backed strike action over receiving worse sick pay, enhanced night/weekend rates, and leave progression.

United Voices for the World (UVW) union said the 300-strong group had lost out on £30m in pay and benefits and £6m in pension contributions over the past four years as a result of the alleged breaches of NHS equality rules and the Equality Act 2010, with individuals losing up to £10,000 each year.

General secretary Petros Elia said: “For years, GESH Trust has systematically withheld millions in vital pay and pension contributions from their lowest-paid staff. 

“With over 300 workers ready to take industrial action, the eventual abolition of this gross injustice and racial discrimination is inevitable.”

An Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals spokesperson said: “When colleagues were brought in-house, they received improved pay and conditions, including the London Living Wage, increased annual leave and access to the national workplace pension scheme.

“We are in the process of giving staff the choice to join the NHS pension scheme. 

“We were wrong not to do this, and we are sorry for this error. We also want to offer our facilities staff equal terms and conditions, and a full review is under way.”

It added that it “inherited a difficult issue when NHS finances are extremely challenging, but we are determined to treat people fairly.”