THOUSANDS of health workers in East Lancashire look set to take strike action in a row over pay.

A national ballot saw 68 per cent of Unison members vote to strike, while 10 other unions are yet to announce their ballot results.

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The dispute centres around wages, with union officials saying that 60 per cent of NHS staff and 70 per cent of nurses will not get a pay rise for the next two years, which has created a demoralised workforce.

There are nearly 3,000 Unison members at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT), so any strike could have a serious impact on the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General Hospitals.

Peter Dales, Unison representative for the trust, said: “Pay is the really big issue for our members and the government have said they’re not even prepared to talk about next year’s settlement. Health workers are not the most militant but there comes a time when they say enough is enough.”

“Obviously some ‘life and limb’ services will still need to run and there will be discussions with the trust about staffing if the strike goes ahead. We won’t put any patients in jeopardy.”

NHS trusts are not allowed to draft in agency workers to cover for strikes, so bosses will focus efforts on ensuring services such as accident and emergency adequately staffed, while planned care could be cancelled.

Kevin Moynes, interim director of human resources at ELHT, said: “While we are aware of staff frustrations concerning pay increases, we hope industrial action can be averted.

“If industrial action does go ahead, the trust has well thought out contingency plans and we will work with unions to ensure wards and departments are not affected. Patient safety will not be compromised.”

Unison said it would now co-ordinate with the other unions over the date and type of action to be taken.

Ministers have given NHS staff a one per cent increase, but not for those who get automatic progression-in-the-job rises. These are designed to reward professional development and are given to about half of staff, and are worth three per cent a year on average.

But the decision by ministers went against the recommendation of the independent pay review board, which had called for an across-the-board rise.