ANGRY hospital cleaners in Southampton waved banners and chanted their demands as they went on strike today.
Around 250 cleaning staff from Southampton General Hospital and the Princess Anne Hospital walked out at 10am.
The industrial action by Unison members came after negotiations with management from Southampton University Hospitals Trust failed to resolve a long-running pay dispute.
A further demonstration is planned outside the hospital at 1pm tomorrow.
Unions claim that the trust's management was funded by the Government to pay cleaners the agreed rate since 2006, but have failed to pass on the money.
The trust has introduced sick pay and an increase to the basic pay rate, however bosses have only agreed to backdate as far as May 2010.
Cleaners also want better payments for working nights and weekends.
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