Almost 3,000 London NHS workers set to strike

Members of the Unite union marched through central London in May in previous strike action

Thousands of NHS workers at four London health trusts are set to go on strike next month in a dispute over staffing levels and pay.

More than 2,800 employees who are members of the Unite union, including nurses, will take action at Barts Health NHS Trust, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, East London NHS Foundation Trust and Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

Pathologists, porters, cleaners, caterers and those in ancillary roles will also take part in the action, which Unite says will cause "disruption and delays".

NHS England has been approached for comment.

The action follows a series of strikes this year across England by consultants, junior doctors, nurses, ambulance workers and radiographers.

In May, it was announced that about one million NHS workers would receive a 5% pay rise. However, Unite rejected the offer.

Barts Health NHS Trust staff will strike for a total of eight days, on 13 and 14 September and from 16 to 22 September.

Employees from Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust and Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust are to take action on 13 and 14 September.

Staff at East London NHS Foundation Trust will strike on 13 September.

Unite says the action follows a dispute over staff shortages, which the union says are "dangerous" and "risk the health of patients and threaten staff welfare".

The action will also be about pay, the union said.

Unite members recently rejected a government pay offer, describing it as a "real terms pay cut".

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Sharon Graham, Unite's general secretary, said: “NHS employers must stop sweeping the staffing crisis under the carpet.

"Until the fundamental causes of low pay and impossible working conditions are resolved, the problem is only going get worse.”

The union warned of further and more widespread action if its concerns were not resolved.