Workers at Britain’s top secret nuclear weapons base could go on strike in a row over pay.
Staff at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Aldermaston, Berks, are being balloted on whether to stage industrial action.
Employees at the research facility are responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the UK’s nuclear weapons, carried by the Trident missile system on board Royal Navy Vanguard submarines.
Prospect union said AWE had offered a pay rise of just 5%, which has been rejected.
An one-off payment averaging £780 was also offered.
Figures today showed inflation soaring at 10.1%.
Union general secretary Mike Clancy said: “Several years of deteriorating workforce engagement and stagnating pay against inflation have left workers at AWE with no option but to move towards industrial action.
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“Safely maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent is a complex and highly stressful operation that requires an extremely high level of dedication and training at all levels.
“It should attract a commensurate level of pay and respect, for these staff who keep the country safe.
“Staff are struggling with the basic costs of living which is unacceptable in the context of this employer and its funding.
“This is not a workforce that can bear a high level of churn while safely functioning – the jobs simply require too high a degree of training.
“If the MoD and AWE don’t think again and make a pay offer that reflects the rocketing cost of living, there is a real risk that AWE will struggle to recruit and retain the skills that it needs.”
The vote on whether to strike takes place over two weeks from Monday.
No10 insisted any strike action would not have an impact on continuous-at-sea deterrence.
