Workers at Watford General Hospital are preparing to go on strike over low pay after they voted overwhelmingly in favour of action.

Domestic services staff and hospital porters at the Vicarage Road hospital working on behalf of cleaning giant Medirest recently voted by a 98 per cent majority in favour of going on strike following their company’s refusal to increase wages above £7.30 an hour.

Medirest porters who move dead bodies and care for the sick and infirm at the hospital currently earn just 10 pence above the minimum wage of £7.20.

Trade union GMB have organised protests in recent months aimed at ending the “regime of scandalous low pay” at the hospital.

GMB organiser Michael Dooley said: "We will be meeting with the senior management of Medirest for one last effort to avoid any disruption to the patients using the hospital.

“Medirest has told us that West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust refused to pay the company any more than £7.30 an hour for staff, so Medirest will not pay any increase and are refusing to pay more than the minimum wage next month.

“It appears that neither the trust nor Medirest care if the hospital workers go on strike. Given the potential disruption to patients, I find their attitude utterly contemptuous.”

A Medirest spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of a consultative ballot at Watford General Hospital.

"We are committed to an on-going dialogue with our colleagues and encourage them to raise any concerns they may have.”