Workers at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing site are being balloted over taking industrial action due to a dispute over pay.

Thousands of members from unions Unite and GMB are voting on whether to strike after their employers, Sellafield Ltd, offered a "completely unacceptable" 1.5% pay rise offer. The majority of union members rejected the offer in June.

GMB said since then it has sought further talks with the company without success.

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The strike ballot will close on Monday, 04 September.

Chris Jukes, GMB Senior Organiser, said: "Pay at Sellafield for all but the top brass has failed to keep pace with inflation in recent years and it came as no surprise to GMB when our members voted by a ratio of 9 to 1 to reject Sellafield Ltd's pay offer, which is less than half the RPI inflation rate.

"At the same time, Sellafield management have chipped away relentlessly at terms and conditions.

"Sellafield management say they want fair pay and good industrial relations, then impose a below inflation pay offer, ignore repeated requests to meet and act like a nodding dog for the NDA (Nuclear Decommissioning Authority).

"In the circumstances, we now have no alternative but to ask our members if they are willing to take strike action in order to achieve a pay offer in line with inflation."

(LM)