The 36 specialist staff, who take and handle blood samples from patients, have been on strike since March in a dispute over their demand to be paid fairly.

Unison says putting them on the right pay band would cost their employer, the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, approximately £60,000 per year. It would also recognise the valuable contribution the workers make to health services across the county, added the union.

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak and other union leaders joined staff and supporters of the phlebotomists from across the South West at a rally at Shire Hall, in Gloucester. Other speakers include phlebotomist Caroline Hayhurst and Unison Gloucestershire Hospitals branch secretary Francis O'Ryan.

Unison says the dispute could end immediately if the trust agreed to pay staff the additional £1.09 per hour that would take them to the correct pay band. .

However, the union says that the trust has persistently refused to grant the increase for phlebotomists at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General hospitals, causing ongoing disruption to services and patients.

Despite losing 236 days' pay, the workers remain determined to win the recognition they deserve, adds the union.

Unison general secretary, Christina McAneak said: 'It takes a lot of skill to put patients at ease and get them through an experience that makes many people go weak at the knees. But these essential workers are unfairly being paid the lowest rate in the NHS. That in no way reflects the very skilled work they do. Everyone apart from senior managers can see that this is wrong.

'The trust should stop being so bloody-minded and pay these dedicated staff what they're due.'

Unison South West regional secretary, Kerry Baigent, added: 'The phlebotomists are standing up not just for themselves, but for every health worker who's been undervalued and overlooked.

'It's time the trust listened and ended the longest strike of NHS workers in history.'

In response, a trust spokesperson, said: ‘The trust has met with Unison and the phlebotomists on several occasions and has made a number of offers, including a higher banded role, more pay, back pay to April 2025, better training, and better facilities.

'We believe these are all fair and positive offers, but Unison has rejected them.

'We have also offered for the job role to be reviewed by a national independent panel, and the trust would be bound by the outcome. In other words, we would pay a Band 3 if this was the outcome, this has also been rejected by Unison.'