Hospital workers who are members of the GMB union are being balloted over their pay.

The union claims that the East Kent Hospital Trust and the contractor Medirest are refusing to pay agreed rates of pay to cleaners, catering and portering staff at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, the William Harvey Hospital at Ashford and the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

The outcome of the consultative ballot will be known in two weeks. If the members vote for action the Central Executive Council of the union will give authority for a formal strike ballot to be organized by Electoral Reform Balloting Services.

In March 2009 GMB warned that some staff were being paid well below nationally agreed rates of pay. The union said there was progess last year on the hourly rate but unsocial hours payments remain below the agreed national rates and members are still awating back pay for some years.

Frabk Maclin, GMB Regional officer said morale within the cleaning, catering and portering staff in these East Kent hospitals has been at an all time low.

"GMB has tried to engage meaningfully in negotiations with the trust and their main contractor but have hit a brick wall with the trust refusing to provide funding to allow Medirest to implement the nationally agreed terms and conditions in full.

"As such GMB members find themselves with no option but to begin the ballot process to see if our members are prepared to take industrial action to secure their agreed rates."

The East Kent Hospital Trust said a statement would be issued soon.