About 150 workers responsible for the maintenance of the entire M25 look set to strike over a pay offer, a union says.

Balfour Beatty workers, who are responsible for the maintenance of the entire motorway, are angry at the firm’s pay offer of 3.4 per cent.

 

Unite claims with the real rate of inflation, RPI, at 4.9 per cent this is a real terms pay cut.

The union's general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Balfour Beatty is an immensely profitable company that can afford to put forward an offer that reflects rising living costs. Its M25 workers have Unite’s total backing in demanding a fair pay rise.”

The workers will begin balloting this week and the vote will close on March 12, with industrial action expected soon after.

Unite regional officer Phil Silkstone said: “Balfour Beatty can stop this dispute escalating and causing disruption to the smooth running of the M25 by tabling an acceptable offer. It has more than enough profits to do that.”

A Balfour Beatty spokesman said: “We continue to work closely with Unite the union to reach an appropriate outcome. As these discussions remain ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”