THOUSANDS of staff at British Aerospace in Lancashire are being balloted on strike action over a pay claim.

About 5,500 technical staff at Samlesbury and Warton are being recommended by the MSF union to go on a series of one-day strikes.

About 3,000 manual workers have already voted to accept a management pay package which gives most workers three per cent on their basic pay coupled with profit-related pay.

Shopfloor workers accepted the offer by four to one but the technical staff are still unhappy.

MSF chairman Frank Coulton said workers were worried that profit related pay was being used to mask an erosion in staff pay and conditions.

"We are now a very prosperous company with a full order book and we are looking for some sort of recognition of the work that we've put in to bring the company around," he said.

"We want an improvement in our conditions. For instance, our manual colleagues work a four day week while we work a five day week."

If the ballot is in favour, one day strikes would be held each week until the dispute is settled. Management at British Aerospace refused to comment.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.