HUNDREDS of cleaners, porters, caterers and facilities staff at Colchester hospital have voted to strike against plans to sell their jobs out of the NHS.

Unison members voted 99 per cent in favour of walkouts over the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust’s intention to outsource workers, the union reported.

The trust also runs Ipswich hospital, where facilities and services are provided by private company OCS.

Unison has called on the trust to bring services back in-house when the OCS contract runs out next year.

But the trust has decided to sell off hundreds of workers as a job lot.

Colchester hospital porter John Franklin said: “We give our hearts and souls into working for the NHS and supporting patients but we will not accept being sold off like a piece of equipment to a private company to make money.”

Unison Eastern regional organiser Sam Older said: “Workers have delivered a resounding vote for industrial action … because they want to stay in the NHS where they can properly serve patients.

“Now is the trust’s chance to rethink and commit to keeping jobs in the NHS. We urge them to take it.”