Trade unionists are calling for “equal rights” for low-paid workers at Barnet Hospital.

Caterers and porters working at the hospital in Wellhouse Lane, Barnet held a demonstration last week in a row over pay and conditions with private contractor Medirest.

Unison representative Seamus Naghten, 53, said the union is calling for 'London weighting' - extra pay for people working in the capital - to be applied to all workers in the hospital.

He said: “We are campaigning for equal rights for all working there. They do a good job in the hospital, they keep it clean. They get top marks and then they don’t get recognition for what they are doing. All the staff want is to be treated fairly.”

Mr Naghten, who now works in the kitchen after spending 24 years as a porter, said the union was also calling for equal holiday entitlement for Medirest staff.

He said: “They are on 21 days and they should be on 29 days. It would make a lot of difference to their lives.

“I think it’s really unfair they have been promising them all the time. Getting their hopes up, but then they keep dragging their heels. It’s not fair to the low paid workers who do a fantastic job.”

A spokesman for Medirest said: “We are aware of this demonstration by a small number of our Medirest employees and take such matters very seriously and we remain committed to having an open and constructive dialogue with all parties involved.”

In a statement, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Barnet Hospital, said: “These members of staff are not employed by the trust and we don’t set their terms and conditions. These are set by Medirest, a contractor who works for us.

“We would expect staff to raise any issues with Medirest and, if appropriate, for the company to raise them with us.”