STRIKING hospital workers today handed in a 7,000-strong petition to bosses ahead of their seven-day walkout next Tuesday.

More than 200 essential staff, including porters, domestic staff, catering teams and security personnel, are demanding NHS pension rates, GMB said.

The affected staff were outsourced to AGH Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, in 2018 but are yet to achieve pension equality. 

GMB organiser Joe Wheatley said: “The strength of feeling and support for GMB members at the hospital has been overwhelming.

“As we gear up for the next round of industrial action, it’s not too late for Airedale bosses to see sense and return to the negotiating table to resolve the pension debacle.”

He said that the trust’s top 10 senior managers “earn nearly as much as it would cost to uplift 300 NHS workers onto the NHS pension.”

The trust was contacted for comment.