HOSPITAL workers are set to go on strike for five days over the ongoing dispute about the running of a private NHS company.

Trade union Unison says it has given notice to the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Foundation Trust (WWL) that staff will take industrial action from 6am on Thursday, June 28 to 6am on Tuesday, July 3.

It follows two previous 48-hour strikes that took place on May 23 and 24, and June 8 and 9.

There are concerns that workers' jobs, pay and conditions in positions including portering, cleaning and catering will be under threat if they are outsourced to WWL Solutions Limited.

MPs Jeremy Corbyn, Lisa Nandy, Jo Platt, Yvonne Fovargue and Cllr Keith Cunliffe have backed the campaign.

Unison North West regional organiser Lizanne Devonport said: “Members are absolutely resolute in their determination to see this through.

"They will not willingly transfer out of the NHS and will do everything they can to stop it.

"This five-day action will be followed by more strike days if the trust does not move on this issue.

"Staff will not go quietly and this issue is not going to disappear.”

Unison say WWL's board will meet the day before the five-day strike begins on Wednesday, June 27.

The union has also been quick to dismiss reports that Unison is asking the trust to cut jobs or make redundancies in resolving the situation rather than outsourcing to WWL Solutions Limited.

Lizanne Devonport added: “There is no Unison proposal for job cuts or redundancies.

"In an effort to avert the first strike we were willing to discuss other ways for the trust to save money and other models of service delivery that avoid outsourcing."

Hospital staff who are members at trade union Unite also started a nine-week strike on Sunday which involves not taking part in weekend and evening on call rotas and overtime. 

A spokesman for Unite said its members will deal with "any extreme or catastrophic break downs that could pose a threat to patient safety".