HUNDREDS of hospital cleaners have voted for industrial action and could be on the picket line by the end of the year.
UNISON balloted its members and 98 per cent voted in favour of taking strike action at Southampton General Hospital over what they claim is bosses' refusal to give them equal benefits with other hospital employees.
A meeting have been organised between the union and Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust with ACAS on December 2, but if they cannot reach agreement, around 250 cleaners will go out on strike before the new year.
Members claim the trust's management were funded by the Government to pay cleaners the agreed rate since 2006 but have failed to pass on this money.
Discussions have been taking place between bosses and union members, which has seen the trust introduce sick pay for cleaners, which had been a major issue for the union, and an increase to their basic pay rate.
However demands by the union to get the sick pay back dated to 2006, an estimated £700,000, have failed, with bosses only agreeing to back date pay to May 2010.
Andy Straker, regional organiser for UNISON, said: "We are hopeful that management will come to the table on Thursday with an acceptable offer and we will call off the strike.
"We do not want to strike but we have been left with no choice."
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