WORKERS at the Nestle Purina plant in Wisbech are among those to be balloted over possible strike action.

WORKERS at the Nestle Purina plant in Wisbech are among those to be balloted over possible strike action.

The first ever national ballot for industrial action at food giant Nestle is to be held, in a row over pay, it has been announced.

Union leaders decided to hold a ballot among thousands of Nestle employees at sites across the UK in protest at the imposition of a national strategy of “pay restraint”.

Officials also accused Nestle of refusing to enter into national negotiations, claiming the company wanted to move towards performance related pay.

Union members at other sites including York, Glasgow, Halifax and Castleford, will vote in the next few weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action.

Jennie Formby, national officer of Unite, said: “We are extremely disappointed to have been forced into a position of balloting our members for industrial action, but Nestle, a hugely successful and profitable company, has consistently refused to respect the agreed negotiating process.

“Instead they are imposing a policy of national pay restraint and pressing on with a move to non-consolidated performance-related bonuses.

“Our members do not want to take industrial action, but faced with such intransigence on the part of the company they have been left with no alternative.”

Unions said Nestle had offered a 1% pay increase coupled with a 1.5% bonus.