NEARLY one third of school dinner staff may strike in a row over pay.

Public service union UNISON has started balloting members employed by BET Catering Services in Lancashire school kitchens.

If its 900 members decide to take industrial action, dinners for thousands of pupils will face disruption.

The ballot is taking place following lengthy negotiations and the intervention of ACAS.

UNISON's regional officer Keith Mann is urging staff to vote yes.

He said: "Over months of negotiations the company has wriggled and manoeuvred in its attempts to justify the pay cuts at the same time as claiming it was acting in the best interests of staff.

"What we have witnessed since BET took over school meals in Lancashire in 1994 is reduced standards and service, together with reduced pay. "It is as if the company's intention was to destroy the school meals service.

"I hope that members vote decisively to take action and that this will persuade BET to change its view. If they do not, industrial action will follow."

But a spokeswoman for Bracknell-based BET, which employs around 3,000 catering staff in the county, said: "Any such action would not be in the best interests of the schools meal service or the children.

"BET appreciates the hard work and commitment put in by all staff and hopes the current situation can be amicably resolved.

"BET has already announced it will be awarding a 2.9 per cent pay rise to all staff in Lancashire on April 1 which is in advance of any national agreement.

"We are very proud of the service our staff provide."

Talks between BET and the union broke down last May when UNISON resisted moves to cut staff hours by 10 per cent.

The fully postal ballot will close on April 22.

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