WORKERS at one of Burnley's major employers are to vote on strike action this week over threats to their jobs.

Employees at call centre Reality are facing the axe after the company announced it was transferring its calls to India.

Trade unionists held a meeting to discuss the fears last month and staff will vote on Wednesday whether to take strike action. The result of the ballot will be known in September.

Reality, part of the GUS home shopping empire, announced in April it was launching a pilot scheme to divert calls to India on a trial basis. Workers claim the scheme is placing jobs under threat and that overtime has already been cut.

Burnley MP Peter Pike wrote to the chief executive of the group, formerly GUS, after bosses revealed in April calls were being transferred in a pilot scheme. He acted after workers contacted him with concerns that the scheme would lead to job cuts in Burnley.

Mr Pike said: "Reality is a major employer in the town and I understand fully the concerns of the workers. I have sent a letter to the chief executive following a few letters from staff who have expressed their worries."

Staff in Burnley are insisting that nearly 1,000 call centre staff jobs are under threat and have met with the officials from the union USDAW. Union bosses say the firm stands to save millions by switching their calls. An average salary for a worker in India is £1,300 compared to £12,000 in this country.

USDAW officer Val Pugh said: "Workers are very concerned about this pilot scheme of out sourcing as it is bound to have an effect on their jobs. Members are especially worried as they have told me that every pilot scheme implemented by the company has been implemented in some form or another.

"A lot of our members are working mums who rely on their jobs, but are sick with worry because they have been kept in the dark as to what is actually going on.

"They are worried because there isn't sufficient work for them to keep all the staff on."

A spokesman for Reality said no comment would be made on the possibility of strike action until the result of the ballot was known.