HERE we go again.

Thousands of NHS workers across the county are set to go on strike again over a longrunning pay dispute with the Government.

Midwives, radiographers, porters, cleaners and healthcare assistants are expected to form picket lines for a fourhour walk-out on November 24.

And Southampton union bosses believe even more unions may take up the fight to gain an extra one per cent pay rise that was recommended to the Government in an independent review.

Mike Wilson, regional organiser for Unison, said members would not back down in this fight as the NHS “is in a crisis”.

He said: “The Government does not seem to have changed its tune at all so unfortunately we have to continue our action and our dispute until it is prepared to value NHS workers.

“The NHS is in crisis partly because of problems with recruitment but also because of underfunding which has an impact across the board – such as waiting times increasing and the reduced availability of treatment.”

He added: “We have had some really good support from the public over this pay dispute and we want them to know what is really going on with their health service.”

Strikes on November 24 will be followed by a week of working to rule – where staff will take breaks in full and not work past their allotted hours.

Unison, Unite and GMB are all involved, as are the Royal College of Midwives who took action for the first time in its 133-year history during last month’s round of strikes.

But the Royal College of Nursing confirmed its members would not be taking part.

A spokesman for University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, which runs Southampton General and Princess Anne hospitals, said it had “robust contingency plans in place to ensure minimal disruption to any service during industrial action”.

Emergency and urgent care will also remain unaffected although some routine appointments may be rescheduled.