Unite, the UK's largest union, has given notice to Balfour Beatty Engineering Services of its plan to ballot more than 1,000 members employed at the firm for strike action, as thousands march in London against the employer-led attacks on the skills and pay of workers in the sector.

The strike ballot, which opens on Wednesday 16 November, follows Balfour Beatty's failure to step back from the brink of imposed contractual changes which will see the pay of thousands of workers cut by one third. The ballot closes on Tuesday 29 November.

The action could hit some of the UK’s key infrastructure projects, including power stations and Crossrail as disgruntled electricians, plumbers and heating and ventilating engineers down tools.

The timing of the strike days and where the action will take place will be decided by the shop stewards at a later date.

In May this year Balfour Beatty Engineering Services, along with six other leading construction companies, informed Unite of its intention to withdraw from five long-standing agreements and impose new semi-skilled grades with massive cuts in pay.

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Unite is balloting Balfour Beatty Engineering Services first as it believes the firm is acting as the 'ring-leader' of the break-away employers with five firms out of the seven threatening to sack workers who refuse to sign the new and inferior contracts by 7 December.

Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary, who addressed thousands of workers from across the country who had travelled to London to march against the de-skilling of their jobs, said: "Balfour Beatty will be the first of the rogue firms to feel the anger of its workers, who have already shown real guts in their battle to defend their livelihoods.

"Our members are enraged over the use of bully boy tactics to usher in an era of de-skilling across the sector as well and massive pay cuts.

"Balfour Beatty has been warned that its greed will bring mayhem to an industry struggling to steer a path through the recession, but refuse to listen.

"The failure of the senior management at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services to withdraw the threats of dismissal has left Unite with no choice but to ballot members for industrial action.

"This is a vastly profitable company. It has no need whatsoever to rob its employees in order to satisfy its shareholders. Perhaps the threat of strike action will bring Balfour Beatty to its senses and back to the negotiating table."

Attempts to break the workforce are seen as inflammatory and hugely opportunistic given that Balfour Beatty's orders are up six per cent with £15.5 billion worth of projects on its books since last year and the latest interim shareholder dividend is up five per cent.

(CD)