STAFF at Winchester Prison are among thousands of prison staff across the country staging a 48-hour strike over pay.

Members of four trade unions joined the walkout as part of a long-running campaign against a pay deal they say is worth only one per cent.

The strike follows a one-day stoppage in May which was the first disruption by industrial workers in the prison service for 25 years.

The unions involved are Amicus, the Transport and General Workers' Union, the GMB and UCATT.

Amicus said 4,000 maintenance workers, plumbers, chefs, electricians and other industrial grades will walk out as part of a campaign against a "derisory" pay offer.

The deal amounted to one per cent for the majority of staff, an Amicus spokesman said, adding that prison officers received a far higher settlement of 2.8 per cent for the same period.

He also pointed out that members had additional responsibilities to supervise prisoners and were trained in dealing with hostage situations and suicides.

Amicus national secretary John Allot said: "We are sending a clear message to the prison service that our members will not be treated as second-class citizens. All our members are asking for is fairness and a decent living wage.''

A prison service spokesman said: "The offer made for industrial staff resulted in a pay increase of four per cent for about half of their members.

"The other half received a three per cent increase, although some of this is non-consolidated. Inflation currently stands at 2.6 per cent.

"Governors were informed that strike action was planned and that they should seek to examine and prepare their contingency plans in advance of action being taken.

"They were advised that possible issues of high risk should be identified."