HOSPITAL staff set to strike have announced a further three days of strike action if their pay increase request is not met.

Cleaners, catering staff, porters and security staff are among NHS workers preparing to go on strike for 48 hours from 7am tomorrow.

UNISON has given iFM Bolton notice that a further three days of strikes will take place on 23-25 October if this issue is not resolved.

Andrea Lee, a domestic at Royal Bolton said: “I’ve never had to go on strike before, but we’re all standing together and I’m not scared. We’re so upset with management. They seem to think that we’re worth less than domestics in all the other hospitals, but we do a lot to keep the hospital clean and running smoothly. We’re NHS workers and we should be paid the NHS rates.”

The staff are employed by iFM Bolton a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust. Staff on band one on NHS contracts have received a pay rise this year.

iFM staff have not received a similar increase and have rejected pay offers from their employers in favour of a rise in line with other NHS staff.

Kevin Lucas, UNISON, said: "This is a very simple matter of fairness. Bolton’s hospital workers deserve to be paid the NHS rate for the important jobs they do."