A strike by workers at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) could lead to meat shortages during the Christmas period, their union has warned.
Staff at the food safety watchdog are being balloted for strike action, involving several hundred carcass inspectors, vets, and office-based staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
UNISON, which represents the staff, said the FSA needed to come up with a significantly higher pay offer to avoid any disruption.
If a strike were to go ahead, meat supplies during the festive season could be impacted as the industry would be brought 'to a halt', the union warned.
Earlier in the year, FSA staff, who last went on strike over pay in 2014, voted to reject a pay offer of between 2% and 5%.
UNISON said this was significantly lower than inflation – currently 9.9% – and fell short of the 10% pay claim put forward by the union.
UNISON head of local government, Mike Short said FSA staff played a vital role in keeping contaminated meat off people’s plates.
“Many have to work in a difficult and unpleasant conditions inspecting carcasses for signs of disease," he warned.
“These employees protect consumers, ensure good animal welfare, and must be rewarded accordingly.
“The FSA needs to come up with a significantly higher offer to avoid any disruption.”
Without meat hygiene inspectors and official veterinarians, animals cannot be processed and slaughtered, and in turn, meat cannot be sold in shops.
The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) told industry magazine Pig World that the strike could bring the meat sector to a 'standstill', especially amid ongoing workforce shortages.
Its chief executive, Nick Allen said: "The choice of timing for the strikes will also cause maximum damage to the whole domestic and export supply chain.
“Not only will it disrupt Christmas supplies to shops when volumes are at their highest during the year, but it has the potential to cause a serious animal welfare problem on farms if processors simply can’t take any animals due to the absence of a vet.
"This strike action will hurt the FSA, processors, consumers, farmers and animals alike.”
The ballot of FSA employees opened on 10 October and closes on 31 October.
