NHS workers in the GMB union held a crunch meeting with reps yesterday to plan their next steps after overwhelmingly rejecting a below-inflation pay deal.

Hospital and ambulance workers voted 87 per cent against a three-year, 6.5 per cent deal, with inflation expected to rise by 9.6 per cent over the period, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Members of 13 other unions have accepted the offer.

At the meeting, reps described the anger members felt after an eight-year pay squeeze to then be offered a deal which amounts to a real-terms cut.

GMB national officer Rachel Harrison said: “GMB regions will now begin planning for the next steps in our battle to end the pay pinch in the NHS and secure fair pay and conditions.”

Nurse Helena O’Connor said: “GMB members like me rejected this offer because it is a rotten pay deal and it means experienced staff, at the top of their bands, get a flat, below inflation 6.5 per cent increase over three years.

“We don’t think that is good enough.”