STAFF at Hampshire hospitals will strike this morning as part of an ongoing battle with the Government over pay.

Nurses, cleaners, porters, midwives, paramedics and other members of staff will walk out at Southampton General Hospital, the Royal South Hampshire Hospital in the city and the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, from 7am to 11am.

The stoppage will be followed by six days of action short of strike action when workers will work to rule.

Contingency plans will be in place at hospitals and the South Central Ambulance Service throughout today's action.

Health workers from ten other health unions are joining UNISON workers for the industrial action.

It follows a first day of strike action on October 13, with the unions locked in a bitter dispute with the Government.

Daily Echo:

Tony Jones, UNISON Regional head of health, said: "For many in the NHS, last month's strike was a first. The next industrial action will be bigger as more unions will be joining it. Jeremy Hunt needs to listen to NHS workers who feel this Government is treating them with contempt.

"NHS workers are overworked and underpaid. Most patients would be shocked to know that one in five of the NHS workers who care for them need to do a second job just to survive and many have to borrow money every month to make ends meet or resort to foodbanks."

Speaking to the Echo last month, a spokesman for the Department of Health said: “NHS staff are our greatest asset and we know they are working extremely hard.

“This is why, despite tough financial times, we've protected the NHS budget and now have 13,500 more clinical staff than in 2010.

“We want to protect these increases and cannot afford incremental pay increases - which disproportionately reward the highest earners - on top of a general pay rise without risking frontline NHS jobs.”